Arsenal have announced the signing of versatile Greek forward Christos Tzolis from Belgian champions Club Brugge in a deal worth £34 million. The 24-year-old has put pen to paper on what the Gunners describe as a long-term contract, arriving at the Emirates Stadium as the Premier League champions look to strengthen their squad for the upcoming season.
Tzolis joins Arsenal following a highly productive spell at Club Brugge, where he registered an impressive 43 goals and 45 assists across 108 appearances. His arrival comes shortly after the departure of Belgian international Leandro Trossard, who moved to Besiktas earlier this month, creating a vacancy in Arsenal's attacking line-up.
Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta highlighted Tzolis's attributes, stating, "Christos 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." Berta also praised Tzolis's "outstanding numbers in terms of goals and assists over the last three seasons," anticipating he will "raise the technical level of our squad, while bringing positive energy, enthusiasm, and a strong mentality to our team."
The Greek international's journey to north London has seen him rebuild his career after an initial challenging period in England with Norwich City. Tzolis made 30 appearances for the Canaries between 2021 and 2024, scoring three goals, and had loan spells at Twente and Fortuna Dusseldorf. It was at Fortuna Dusseldorf in the 2023-24 season where he truly shone, scoring 24 goals in 35 games, before making a permanent move to Club Brugge in 2024.
Last season, Tzolis enjoyed the most successful campaign of his career, playing a pivotal role in Club Brugge's league title victory. He was directly involved in a league-high 40 goals in Belgium's top flight, contributing 17 goals and 23 assists. His influence extended beyond direct goal contributions, as he also created more chances (135) than any other player in the league and demonstrated his quality against top European opposition in the Champions League, scoring against Atalanta and Atletico Madrid.
Speaking about his move, Tzolis revealed a "nice conversation" with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, where they discussed the club's plans and his role within the team. He described himself as a "direct player" focused on goals and assists, adding, "I'm always hungry to score or to give the final pass to my team-mates. And I can say I work hard for the team, also in the defensive part." Known for his set-piece ability, 52 of the 135 chances he created in the Belgian Pro League last season originated from dead-ball situations.