Arsenal’s set-piece threat just got scarier with Tzolis arrival

Arsenal have completed the signing of Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge for £34 million (€40m), and the Greece midfielder brings a speciality that could make the Premier League champions even more lethal. The 24-year-old arrives as a direct replacement for Leandro Trossard, but his numbers from dead-ball situations suggest Mikel Arteta has found the perfect weapon to sharpen an already feared part of Arsenal’s game. Last season, Tzolis created 52 chances from set pieces in the Belgian Pro League. To put that in perspective, Arsenal’s best set‑piece creators in the league — Declan Rice (27) and Bukayo Saka (12) — combined for just 39. The Greek international alone blew that total out of the water. Arteta has long believed set pieces are undervalued. “I realised that ten years ago,” he said in October 2025. “I started to have a vision, try to implement a method and try to be surrounded by the best people to deliver that.” His vision paid off when Arsenal won the title last season, scoring 29 of their 71 league goals from set plays — more than any other side. Tzolis’s versatility also appealed to the Gunners. Sporting director Andrea Berta described him as “an extremely versatile attacking player who naturally operates on the left but is comfortable across the front line.” He added: “He’s an excellent finisher with both feet, thrives in tight spaces, and possesses incredible technical ability.” The Greek star managed 17 goals and 20 assists for Brugge last term, plus three goals in Greece’s failed World Cup qualifying campaign. With boundless stamina, pace and now a proven set‑piece pedigree, Tzolis looks like the missing piece Arteta wanted.