Arsenal sign Greece forward Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge for £34m | Arsenal
Arsenal have completed the £34m signing of Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge. The Greece international, 24, has signed a five-year contract with the Premier League champions and arrives as a replacement for Leandro Trossard following the Belgian’s switch to Besiktas.
Tzolis’s move to the Emirates Stadium – Arsenal’s third permanent transfer of the summer – arrives 48 hours after the north Londoners missed out on Morgan Rogers who signed a £117m British-record fee with Chelsea, describing his new employers as the “biggest club in London”.
Tzolis scored 43 times in 108 appearances for Club Brugge, and lined up in the Belgians’ 3-0 Champions League defeat by Mikel Arteta’s side in December. “I need some time to realise it, I think,” Tzolis said. “It’s absolutely amazing to sign for such a big club, the champions of England. I’m very proud to be part of this team for the next season.”
Arsenal’s sporting director Andrea Berta added: “We’re delighted to have completed the signing of Christos. (He) is an extremely versatile attacking player who naturally operates on the left but is comfortable across the front line. He’s an excellent finisher with both feet, thrives in tight spaces, and possesses incredible technical ability.
“Christos has produced outstanding numbers in terms of goals and assists over the last three seasons, and he’s a player who will raise the technical level of our squad, while bringing positive energy, enthusiasm and a strong mentality to our team. We’re confident Christos will make a significant contribution to our club, and we hope our supporters will enjoy watching him play in an Arsenal shirt. We look forward to sharing this exciting new chapter together.”
Tzolis played 14 Premier League games for Norwich during the 2021-22 campaign but his only two goals at the club came in the League Cup. Loan periods with Twente and Fortuna Düsseldorf followed before he made the move to Brugge in 2024.
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The Greek follows Piero Hincapié – who turned his temporary deal with Arsenal into a full-time switch – and goalkeeper Illan Meslier, a free signing from Leeds, as the Gunners’ third signing. The announcement arrives as a welcome boost for Arteta after defender William Saliba was this week ruled out for an “extensive period” with the back problem the curtailed his World Cup. The France international is set to miss the start of Arsenal’s Premier League defence.
