Tzolis opens up on Arsenal ambition and Vinicius talk: 'I want this chance'

Christos Tzolis is not here to blend in. The Greek winger has only just arrived at Arsenal, yet he already sounds like a man ready to claim the left side of attack as his own. Even the growing talk of a move for Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior does not appear to bother him one bit. Arsenal paid Club Brugge £34 million for the 24-year-old, and he is making an early impression. Tzolis has topped several fitness tests and followed that up by scoring in Saturday's 4-1 friendly win over Girona. Reports say the Gunners are interested in Vinícius and Real Madrid are open to letting the Brazilian leave. Tzolis is keeping his focus on things he can control. "I believe in myself, so I don't think about the future or what the club may do in this position," he said. "My focus is on improving my game and settling in as quickly as possible. It is a great opportunity to train with the squad from the start, play friendlies and then be part of competitive matches." Tzolis already knows the Premier League from his time at Norwich. He spent two seasons there and made his top-flight debut against Arsenal in 2021. Now he is back in England on the other side of that fixture. "This is my chance to be with the club from the beginning. It is up to me to show what I can offer. I am sure I will do that in the coming games. Arsenal is one of the best teams in the world, and being here makes me very happy. I am at the right place to reach the highest level, and I will do everything I can to take this opportunity," he added. Arsenal have also been reported to be in the final stages of negotiations for Bruno Guimarães.