Arsenal close in on Tzolis in £35m deal as Guimaraes reveals reasons for wanting Emirates move

Arsenal are advancing on two significant transfer fronts this summer, with a £35m deal for Club Brugge winger Christos Tzolis reported to be close and Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes having informed the club he wants to move to the Emirates Stadium.

Tzolis closing in on Emirates move

Arsenal are reportedly near an agreement to sign the 24-year-old Greece international, who is expected to serve as a replacement for the outgoing Leandro Trossard rather than the marquee left-flank addition the club has been targeting. According to The Sun, the fee would stand at £35m — a record for a Greek international, surpassing the price paid for Brighton’s Babis Kostoulas.

Tzolis has made no secret of his admiration for the club. Earlier this year he said: “I hope that Arsenal come for me. If Arsenal come, it would be a privilege for any player to play for them.” The former Norwich City man recorded 22 goals and 29 assists in 52 appearances last season and has accumulated 43 goals and 45 assists in 108 games since joining Brugge in 2024. He is capable of playing on either wing or as a centre-forward and is contracted at Brugge until 2029.

Guimaraes’ reasons for Arsenal push emerge

Meanwhile, the motivations behind Bruno Guimaraes’ push to leave Newcastle United have come to light. Arsenal are understood to have agreed personal terms with the Brazilian midfielder in recent days, with Guimaraes having directly communicated his desire to join Mikel Arteta’s side despite Newcastle insisting he is not for sale.

Reporter Fabrizio Romano has indicated that the prospect of working with Arteta is a key factor in Guimaraes’ thinking, though the source material was truncated before full details emerged. Arsenal are said to be weighing up a formal offer for the Newcastle captain regardless of the club’s public stance.

Broader summer picture

The two developments come as Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta works through a busy transfer window following the club’s first Premier League title in 22 years. Co-chairman Josh Kroenke pledged at the end of last season to invest significantly in the squad, and while the summer has so far yielded the permanent signing of Piero Hincapie for £34.5m and free transfer goalkeeper Illan Meslier from Leeds United, considerably more activity is anticipated before the window closes.