Arsenal agree £34m deal for Christos Tzolis as Trossard replacement arrives from Brugge

Arsenal have agreed a £34m fee with Club Brugge for winger Christos Tzolis, with the club now in the process of finalising the move, according to The Athletic. The 24-year-old Greece international becomes the Gunners’ first signing of the summer window, arriving as a direct replacement for Leandro Trossard, who departed for Besiktas for £15.3m earlier this week.

Tzolis has been one of the standout attackers in Belgian football over the past two seasons, scoring 43 goals and registering 29 assists in 108 appearances for Brugge. That form attracted interest from several top European clubs and prompted Brugge to tie him down to a contract until 2029 last summer, when they rejected a bid from Crystal Palace. He will not be seeing out that deal.

Arsenal’s pursuit of Tzolis accelerated after they were informed that Juventus winger Kenan Yildiz is not available for transfer. The Athletic report that the Tzolis deal is separate from any ongoing interest in Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers, who remains on Arsenal’s radar.

Tzolis has a brief history in English football, having made appearances for Norwich City in the Premier League during the 2021/22 season as a teenager. He has since developed considerably, operating primarily on the left flank for Brugge while cutting inside onto his stronger right foot — a profile that closely mirrors the role Trossard filled at the Emirates.

Trossard, 31, proved an astute acquisition during his time at Arsenal, contributing meaningfully to the club’s Premier League title win in 2025/26 and their run to the Champions League final. Arsenal’s decision to sell reflects a broader desire to refresh their attacking options with younger talent.

Should the move be confirmed, Tzolis will compete for a starting berth with Gabriel Martinelli on Arsenal’s left flank. Trossard started 21 Premier League games last season, scoring six goals and providing six assists — a benchmark Tzolis will be expected to match or surpass as Arsenal look to defend their title.