FIRST SIGNING CONFIRMED: Arsenal sign £40m dutch winger who netted 40goals last season and even better than Vinicious jnr in terms of 1v1 situation, paperwork done last night as Medical this morning
Arsenal are exploring the market for a new left winger as they aim to build on last season’s Premier League triumph.
Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers is a primary target, with manager Mikel Arteta reportedly pushing for his signature.
Arsenal have also made an enquiry about Turkey international Kenan Yildiz, but Juventus are not ready to listen to offers for him.
The Athletic now report that the north London side are exploring a deal for Club Brugge winger Christos Tzolis. He would be available for £35 million.
Tzolis enjoyed a brilliant campaign, helping Brugge win their 20th Belgium Pro League title.
He chipped in with 17 goals and provided 23 assists, winning the Belgian Professional Footballer of the Year award.
Tzolis topped the division for most expected goals (17.4) and expected assists (15.9), further underlining his decisiveness in the final third. His 40 goal involvements was also the highest.
The 24-year-old ranked first for big chances created (25) and key passes per game (3.8), highlighting his creativity.
The Greek winger also impressed in the UEFA Champions League, recording three goal involvements, including a goal against Atletico Madrid in the knockout phase play-offs.
The noticeable weakness in his game is his poor defensive contributions, but that could change under Arteta’s guidance.
Tzolis has three years left on his contract, meaning Brugge would demand a substantial fee for the Greece international.
Arsenal’s interest in the Brugge forward is unlikely to affect a potential move for Rogers, while they continue to monitor other alternative targets.
They are also interested in Real Sociedad’s Ander Barrenetxea and Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola.
The Gunners have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Barcola, with PSG now willing to listen to offers for the French winger.