With less than a month to go before the new Premier League campaign, Mikel Arteta will no doubt be working hard to ensure his Arsenal side are ready for the task of defending their title.
The Spaniard has ended the club’s 22-year wait for a major trophy, but the fans’ expectation will now be to add more silverware to the cabinet.
Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea are all under new managers and could pose an unknown threat to the Gunners in the hunt for top spot in 2026/27.
If Arteta’s men are to do better in any of the aforementioned areas, he will need to hope that one of his new additions this summer will make an impact at the Emirates.
Why Tzolis will add a new dimension to Arteta’s attack in 2026/27
As part of Arsenal’s summer recruitment drive, management have completed the £34m signing of winger Christos Tzolis from Belgian champions Club Brugge.
The Greek international finished the last campaign with 22 goals and 29 assists in just 52 games – numbers that will undoubtedly catch the attention of Gunners fans.
However, many will be asking the question, apart from his impressive goal contribution, what will he provide for Arteta’s men in the next campaign?
Tzolis has gained a reputation as a striker who likes to cut down the left flank and drive inside and then create attempts on goal with his strong right foot.
|
Most G+As in Belgian Pro League (2025/26) |
|
|---|---|
|
The player |
Statistics |
|
Christos Tzolis |
40 |
|
Nicolo Tresoldi |
24 |
|
Thorgan Hazard |
20 |
|
Keisuke Goto |
18 |
|
Vincent Janssen |
17 |
|
Wilfried Kanga |
16 |
|
Jeppe Erenbjerg |
16 |
|
Carlos Forbes |
16 |
He then registered the most shots at 90 of any player in Belgium’s top flight, which no doubt played a part in his finishing the year as the league’s top scorer.
The 24-year-old has also created the most chances of any player within the Pro League, with his 3.5 per 90 figures putting him above 95% of players across the continent.
It is clear that Tzolis is capable of finding the net on his own, while also having a great ability to create opportunities for those around him – something that is sorely needed at the Emirates.
Tzolis appears to be an incredibly talented player in attacking areas, but the jump from the Belgian Pro League to the Premier League is undoubtedly a big one.
The Greek international will do well to get close to his goals and assists last season, but if he does, Arteta’s men will lift the league title again next May.
His only previous experience in Europe’s top five leagues saw him play for Norwich City in 2022, where he registered just three goals in 30 appearances.
As a result, the Gunners have been looking for more reinforcements on the left side of their attack – leading to a possible move for RB Leipzig star Antonio Nusa.
The Sun reported that Arsenal are preparing a bid for the Norwegian star, but North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur are also still in the race.
They also say the Bundesliga side do not want to lose the 21-year-old attacker this summer, but will entertain offers for £51m.
Spending another big buck on a left winger may seem like a controversial call this summer, but it’s the area of the midfield that caused Arteta the biggest problem last season.
Although Tzolis completed the move earlier this week, he may have to settle for a place on the bench – as Nusa has shown in recent months that he is undoubtedly a bigger talent in the forward sector.
As a Greek star, he enjoyed his years at Club Brugge, before moving to Leipzig in 2024 – after which he registered 10 goals and 10 assists in the last two campaigns.
Although such figures are lower than the new £34m addition, Nusa’s figures are certainly more impressive given the increasing level of opposition he faces each week.
He also managed to finish off some of his dribbles last term, with 3.1 points per 90 minutes putting him in the top 5% of all players in Europe’s top five leagues.
Such numbers would make him a more direct option than Tzolis for the Gunners – a quality Arteta likes in his wingers, as seen with Bukayo Saka on the right side of the forward line.
The Norwegian even represented his nation during the recent World Cup – even scoring a goal in their 2-1 win over Ivory Coast and once again showing his ability to play at the big stage.
The Greek star has been unable to emulate such success during his professional career, which could add to the argument that Nusa is a ready-made Premier League option.
£51m would be a relatively expensive deal for the Gunners this summer, but it will no doubt halt their extended hunt to improve options in the left-back department.
The 21-year-old and Tzolis could cement their place at the top level for years to come – potentially pushing each other to the next level in their development.
