Arsenal have reached an agreement with Club Brugge over a deal for winger Christos Tzolis, according to David Ornstein.
Tzolis enjoyed an outstanding 2025/26 season, netting 22 goals and providing 29 assists across all competitions as Brugge won the Belgian Pro League title. This exceptionally fruitful campaign has prompted many top clubs to take a look at the winger, who plied his trade at Norwich City just three years ago.
Arsenal have emerged as the frontrunners in the race to land the 24-year-old winger, and are said to be closing in on a deal worth in the region of £34 million.
While the Gunners still have work to do on personal terms with the player, the move is said to be in the process of being finalised.
Christos Tzolis Move Perfect for Viktor Gyokeres
Christos Tzolisvia Reuters
Arsenal's priority this summer is to rebuild the left-hand side of their attack. Leandro Trossard has left the Gunners to sign for Besiktas in a £17 million deal, while Gabriel Martinelli is also expected to leave the North London club before the window closes at the start of September.
Morgan Rogers has been heavily linked with a switch to the Emirates, although this deal is expected to be complicated, and thus, Berta has moved quickly on a different target.
Tzolis has been identified as Trossard's replacement, and it appears Arsenal have accelerated this move since the Belgian's departure was confirmed.
Fabrizio Romano reported on Monday that Tzolis has informed the Gunners that he wants to sign for them, and Ornstein has now provided a further update which suggests that the deal is at a stage where only formalities can get in the way of it being completed.
Tzolis, described as 'explosive', demonstrated his creative qualities last season, registering 23 assists in 36 games in the Belgian top flight. Ranking in the 100th percentile for chances created per 90 minutes, the 97th percentile for big chances created and the 100th percentile for expected assists per game, it's clear that the Greek wide man is as prolific as they come in regards to creating shooting opportunities for his teammates.
Viktor Gyokeres, who scored 21 goals in his debut season in North London, could stand to benefit from this increased creative threat to the left of him.
Tzolis' trademark move is darting towards the byline before flashing the ball across the face of goal on his left foot. Gyokeres' movement in this area is exceptional, and he could ultimately reap the rewards.
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Arsenal Still Need Level-Raiser in Attack
Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers celebrates scoring vs Man utd
Tzolis is a technically proficient player who now has a track record of producing at an impressive rate in the final third. That said, it remains to be seen how his skillset scales up to a more challenging league, and he alone certainly won't be sufficient for the Gunners if they want to raise the level of their attack.
They still need to source a world-class forward, either a left winger or a striker, to see serious improvements in their offensive performance.
By all accounts, Andrea Berta knows this and is trying to recruit a top-end attack on top of Tzolis. Rogers is reportedly the primary target, while Bradley Barcola remains a genuine option, despite Paris Saint-Germain insisting the Frenchman is not for sale.