Arsenal entered the summer transfer window with one clear priority: signing a new winger capable of helping them defend their Premier League title.
The task became more complicated after Leandro Trossard was sold to Besiktas, stripping Mikel Arteta of one of his most reliable attacking options.
Arsenal’s primary target was Morgan Rogers, but the club refused to match Chelsea’s bid of £117m, sending the England international to Stamford Bridge instead.
Missing out on Rogers was a significant blow, but it also underscores a problem at Arsenal that has persisted since January 2018, when Alexis Sanchez left for Manchester United.
Sanchez took what many described as the Robin van Persie route, chasing trophies elsewhere, though unlike his predecessor he never found Premier League glory at Old Trafford.
During his time at Arsenal, Sanchez scored 35 goals and provided 19 assists in 81 appearances on the left wing, forming a devastating partnership under Arsene Wenger.
Since his departure, Arsenal have cycled through Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Alex Iwobi, Nicolas Pepe, Willian, Raheem Sterling, and Noni Madueke in that position without finding a reliable replacement.
Gabriel Martinelli has offered explosiveness but has never been a prolific goalscorer, while Trossard provided consistency but was ultimately sold this summer.
Now, following the Rogers setback, sporting director Andrea Berta has moved quickly, with Club Brugge winger Christos Tzolis emerging as the primary target to fill the void.
A fee of £35m was agreed, and Greek journalist Dimitris Manakos revealed on social media that Tzolis flew to London and was expected in the capital before officially completing the move.
Tzolis is not the marquee signing many supporters were hoping for after winning the title, but his playing style draws genuine comparisons to Sanchez himself.
Like Sanchez, the Greek forward is a diminutive wide player capable of manipulating the ball in tight spaces and unsettling defenders with quick, short bursts of pace.
His ability to carry the ball between the lines and create danger in congested areas evokes real memories of the Chilean’s most exciting performances in Arsenal colours.
The numbers behind Tzolis are also difficult to ignore, with the Club Brugge star scoring 22 goals and contributing 29 assists across 52 appearances last season.
Remarkably, Tzolis outscored and outassisted every Arsenal player during the 2025/26 campaign, making his arrival at the Emirates all the more compelling on paper.
Other options, including Bradley Barcola and RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande, have been touted as alternatives but neither deal is close to completion at this stage.
At £35m, Arsenal are acquiring a winger who offers genuine production and a playing profile that suits Arteta’s system on the left flank.
Several weeks remain in the transfer window, meaning Arsenal could yet add a more high-profile winger alongside Tzolis if the right opportunity presents itself.
Whether Tzolis turns out to be the long-awaited solution to Arsenal’s left wing problem remains to be seen, but the signs are genuinely encouraging for Gunners supporters.
After years of searching, Arteta may have finally found a winger built in the mould of the player whose departure left such a lasting void at the Emirates Stadium.