Ben White has revealed that new Arsenal signing Christos Tzolis impressed everyone at the club by ‘beating everyone’ in pre-season testing, following his £34million transfer from Club Brugge. The 24-year-old Greece international was brought in to fill the void left by Leandro Trossard’s departure to Besiktas, and he has already made a strong impression on and off the pitch.
Tzolis's arrival and immediate impact
Arsenal acted swiftly to secure Tzolis, who had a stellar two-year spell in Belgian football, racking up 21 goals and 28 assists in 45 appearances. The former Norwich City man has signed a five-year deal, keeping him at the Emirates until 2031. Fans got their first glimpse of Tzolis in action during Arsenal’s 4-1 pre-season friendly victory over Girona, where he started on the left wing and scored his first goal for the club, doubling Arsenal’s lead on the half-hour mark.
Speaking about Tzolis’s debut, Mikel Arteta said: ‘I’m very pleased with him. First of all, the way he has adapted to the club, to the team. The connection he’s already generated with the boys. I think you’re going to love the player. He’s a very direct player. He’s got the ball between the eyes. I think really good at linking up. He has a lot of similarities with Leo in a lot of the things that he can do and the spaces he can occupy. And then the work ethic that he has. He’s a boy that comes with so much hunger as well and wants to prove it. It’s a dream for him and we are here to help him.’
Teammates praise Tzolis
Kai Havertz also praised his new teammate, telling Arsenal’s official website: ‘I think you saw his quality from the first minute. I mean, I saw it already a couple of years ago when I saw him playing in Germany. He’s a top guy and a top player, we’re all very glad to have him here.’
Ben White added: ‘Christos has been amazing. He came in, did all the testing, and beat everyone. So he is fitting in really well and everyone is really happy for him to be here.’
What’s next for Arsenal
Tzolis will look to build on his debut performance when Arsenal face Real Betis in Dublin on Wednesday. They then return to the Emirates for friendlies against Borussia Dortmund and Como, before the Community Shield clash with Manchester City on August 16. Arsenal begin their Premier League title defence five days later at home to Coventry City.
