Arsenal Close to Club Brugge Star Tzolis in Record-Breaking Deal

Arsenal are reportedly on the verge of completing a summer move for Club Brugge winger Christos Tzolis, with the transfer set to make the Greek international the most expensive player from his country in history. According to a report from media, the Gunners are close to reaching a full agreement with the Belgian side for a fee in the region of €41 million. The deal would see Tzolis become Arsenal’s third signing of the summer window, following the arrivals of Piero Hincapie and Illan Meslier. The 24-year-old, who previously struggled to make an impact at Norwich City, has enjoyed a sensational season in Belgium. Across all competitions, he scored 22 goals and provided 29 assists in just 52 appearances. That form has convinced Mikel Arteta’s staff to step up their interest after finalizing the sale of Leandro Trossard to Besiktas. If completed, the transfer would eclipse the previous record for a Greek player — the €36 million Napoli paid for Konstantinos Manolas. The report suggests it is “likely” Tzolis will become an Arsenal player before the 2026-27 campaign gets underway. However, Arsenal’s pursuit of Tzolis is not expected to halt their chase for Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers, who remains the club’s primary summer target. Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola is also being monitored as a potential option. Both players are seen as more marquee additions, with Tzolis viewed more as a direct replacement for the departed Trossard. There are some doubts about whether Tzolis can immediately replicate his Belgian form in the Premier League. In nine Champions League appearances last season, he managed only two goals and one assist. His previous spell in English football with Norwich was also underwhelming. Still, at around €40 million, Arsenal believe they are getting a player in red-hot form who can hit the ground running.