Christos Tzolis shines, and Arsenal may have found the "gem" to replace Trossard

Following Arsenal's 3-0 Community Shield victory against Manchester City, Christos Tzolis is now a major topic of discussion. His two assists and high-energy display suggest the £34 million recruit could be a unique offensive asset, alleviating concerns about the gap created by Leandro Trossard's departure.

Arsenal entered the summer transfer window aiming to add another attacking star. Morgan Rogers was initially identified as the London club's top target, but the English player later moved from Aston Villa to Chelsea for a record £117 million fee.

Against this backdrop, Arsenal spent £34 million to bring Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge to the Emirates on a five-year contract. This fee is a record for a player arriving from the Belgian top flight.

Initially, Tzolis was seen as a replacement for Leandro Trossard, who moved to Besiktas for £17 million. However, what the Greek international has shown during the preseason, especially in the Community Shield match, has rapidly raised expectations for him.

In the match at the Principality Stadium, Tzolis played on the left wing and became one of Arsenal's standout performers. He delivered a precise headed pass for Kai Havertz to score, before creating the situation that led to Martin Odegaard's goal. After a quick dribble, Tzolis passed smoothly for the Arsenal captain to make it 3-0.

Two assists made Tzolis the first player since David Beckham in 1996 to provide two goal-creating passes in a single Community Shield match. And it was not an isolated explosive performance.

During the preseason, Tzolis had two assists against Real Betis and Borussia Dortmund, and also directly scored against Girona. The 24-year-old's ability to create chances and contribute directly to goals is giving Arsenal fans more reasons to be excited.

From disappointment at Norwich to "assist king" at Club Brugge

A notable aspect of Tzolis's journey is that his career once seemed to stall.

After impressing at PAOK Thessaloniki, Tzolis joined Norwich City in 2021. In his debut match, he scored two goals and provided two assists, helping Norwich beat Bournemouth 6-0 in the Carabao Cup.

However, that was not the start of a successful period in England. During three years at Norwich from 2021 to 2024, Tzolis scored only three goals in 30 appearances. Those modest numbers prevented the Greek talent from developing as expected in the Premier League.

But loan spells helped Tzolis rediscover himself. He played for FC Twente in the Netherlands before exploding at Fortuna Düsseldorf in the German second division during the 2023/24 season. There, he scored 24 goals in 35 games. That form paved the way for him to leave Norwich and join Club Brugge in July 2024.

And in Belgium, Tzolis's career truly took off.

Over two seasons at Club Brugge, Tzolis quickly became a key figure both domestically and in Europe. He primarily played on the left flank but could drift inside to act as a number 10. His wide movement, close ball control in tight spaces, two-footed finishing, and chance creation made him a constant threat to opposing defenses.

In total, he scored 43 goals and provided 45 assists in 108 appearances for Club Brugge. In the 2025/26 season alone, Tzolis was directly involved in 40 goals, with 17 strikes and 23 assists in 36 league matches. He helped Club Brugge win the Belgian league and was again named the league's Player of the Season. Previously, Tzolis had also won the Belgian Cup in 2025. Notably, this was his second consecutive Player of the Season award in the Belgian Pro League.

From a talent who struggled at Norwich, Tzolis became a player capable of making a difference in the Champions League and was eventually signed by Arsenal for a record fee from the Belgian league. Internationally, Tzolis represented Greece's youth teams before making his senior debut in October 2020. He now has 34 caps for Greece and has scored 9 goals.

What does Tzolis have in common with Trossard?

Another of Tzolis's strengths is his ability on set pieces.

In the 2025/26 season, he created 135 chances in the Belgian league, with 52 coming from dead-ball situations—accounting for 38.5%. This is particularly suited to Arsenal, a team that often uses corners and free kicks as key weapons.

Tzolis can therefore share set-piece duties with Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, and Bukayo Saka. During the preseason, he even assisted Piero Hincapie from a corner in the match against Real Betis.

Arsenal signed Tzolis to replace Trossard, but the similarities between the two players go beyond their positions.

Tzolis mainly plays on the left wing but can also operate as a number 10, similar to Trossard. Former Club Brugge assistant coach Hayk Milkon believes Tzolis is most effective when he starts wide and then moves inside.

"If you tell him to stay wide and take on a defender one-on-one, he can do that. But Tzolis is always most dangerous when he gets closer to the goal. When he plays centrally, you can expect him to attack the space at any moment," Milkon commented.

Another similarity is their ability to maintain fitness. Trossard missed only four games due to injury in over three years at Arsenal. Tzolis has a similar record at Club Brugge. His longest absence at the Belgian club was just two matches, despite regularly playing at a very high intensity.

Milkon stated that Tzolis is one of the team's hardest runners, not only in total distance but also in high-speed sprints and bursts. Remarkably, he maintained that intensity even when playing continuously in the Champions League with a schedule of one match every three or four days.

Manager Mikel Arteta is very satisfied with the adaptation of the 2002-born player. "I think he's integrating into the team very naturally. He's adapted, he's a really smart guy, and he has great qualities," Arteta shared.

According to the Arsenal boss, Tzolis is especially dangerous in the area 20-30 meters from goal. "He's very calm when choosing a teammate around the box or finishing himself. He has better players around him. When you put him in more and more situations with higher quality, the numbers will also increase. Tzolis is very eager to learn, improve, and train. It's not a coincidence. He's a very consistent player in everything he does, and I'm really impressed with him."

Tzolis himself does not hide his direct playing style and desire to contribute to the team.

"I'm a direct player, always aiming for a goal or an assist. That's my perspective as an attacking player, a winger," Tzolis said. "I always want to score or make the final pass for my teammates. I can also say I work very hard for the team, even defensively."

That is exactly the quality that makes Tzolis highly valued in Arteta's system.

Arsenal still wants another attacking star

Despite Tzolis making a strong impression, Arsenal has no intention of stopping in the transfer market.

The "Gunners" are still searching for a major attacking star after missing out on Morgan Rogers. Bradley Barcola is considered one of Arsenal's targets. This means Tzolis is not necessarily burdened with being the number one attacker immediately.

This could be good for the 24-year-old. He has time to adapt to the Premier League, get used to a new environment, and develop in a squad full of quality.

Sporting director Andrea Berta believes Tzolis will elevate Arsenal's technical strength. "Christos is an extremely versatile attacking player, usually playing on the left but capable of operating anywhere across the front line. He finishes excellently with both feet, plays well in tight spaces, and has great technique. Tzolis has produced outstanding numbers in goals and assists over the past three seasons. He will raise the technical quality of the team while bringing positive energy, enthusiasm, and a strong mentality."

The Community Shield was just his debut, but two assists against Manchester City sent a clear message: Arsenal may not only have signed a replacement for Trossard but might have found a "gem" capable of becoming a key figure for the club for years to come.