The fact that Arsenal’s new signing Christos Tzoris made more goal contributions than he did in his ill-fated league appearance with Norwich City last year speaks volumes about his evolution.
Tzoris is playing for the newly minted Premier League champions because, at 24, he has become the clinical, cold-blooded attacker that Europe’s elite believed he would return to as a teenager. At the time, Barcelona were among his notable suitors, as the biggies flocked to take a look at the prodigious talent. However, it was Norwich, not Barcelona, who secured the youngster’s long-awaited signature.
The hype for Tzoris was already in full swing when his £8.8m move from PAOK was officially confirmed in the summer of 2021. At 21 years old, Tzoris was already a full Greek international. The signing of the winger had all the hallmarks of a transfer coup for Norwich, who have returned to the big stage after clinching the Championship title under manager Daniel Farke.
Still, the situation deteriorated rapidly. Tzoris quickly fell out of favor after scoring two goals in a 6–0 win over Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup on his debut. By early November, Tzoris had seen the manager he had signed sacked by the club just hours after Norwich recorded their first league win of the season.
The appointment of Dean Smith to replace Falke proved to be the catalyst for a change in form that effectively killed off Tzoris’ career at Norwich.
“It was the toughest year of my career,” said the new Arsenal attacker, who conceded a goal to Het Nyusblad in 2024. “For the first time I didn’t play in the first team, but when I played in the second team I was very disappointed. That was the lowest point of my career.”
“My agent and family had to convince me not to give up. And life off the pitch wasn’t easy at that time.”
Tzoris only made 27 appearances for Norwich in total, before leaving the club permanently in the summer of 2024. The first of two loan spells with FC Twente, intended to revive his career, was thwarted by a knee injury. It was in the second division of German football with Fortuna Düsseldorf that the youngster finally rediscovered his killer instincts and scored over 20 goals.
From there he never looked back. Unsurprisingly, Düsseldorf activated their option to sign him permanently for just £3m. But it was Tzolis’ next move that put the teenage prodigy back on the path to superstardom.
Club Brugge swooped in, offering Düsseldorf the chance to effectively double their money instantly. They accepted, and Tzoris flourished in Belgium, racking up over 20 goals in consecutive seasons. Not only did he score 22 goals last season, but he also provided a staggering 29 assists and emerged as one of the Belgian Pro League’s biggest stars.
Christos Tzoris has transformed into a different player at Club Brugge (Image: JASPER JACOBS, BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)
Tsolis returned not only fortified by the challenges of his mission in Norfolk, but also full of confidence. Armed with a deadly right foot, he plays in an attacking role on the left and is seen as the successor to the respected Leandro Trossard, who completed his move to Besiktas last week.
Stuart Webber, Norwich’s sporting director at the time Tzoris was signed, told the Telegraph that the physical nature of the Premier League was one of the reasons the young attacker had not lived up to expectations. “He came into the world’s most difficult league, very young and substandard physically,” Webber said.
“It didn’t work out because we (Norwich) were a struggling team in a tough division. When you play for Norwich, an attacking player can’t touch the ball 100 times. If he had been at Arsenal he probably would have been successful right away.”
Tzoris returns to the Premier League a different beast. Unsurprisingly, he has grown physically and looks more robust than the bright-eyed teenager he was beaten up, both figuratively and literally, in Norwich. While not at an elite level, the numbers he has consistently posted elsewhere in Europe are impressive. His past experience, while tough, should go some way to giving him an advantage as he adapts to the rigors of life in the Premier League.
“I’m a direct player, I look for goals or assists,” Tzoris told Arsenal’s website. “That’s my perspective as an attacker and as a winger. I’m always hungry to score or give my teammates the last pass. And I can say that I work hard for the team in the defensive part as well.”
Christos Tzoris previously struggled in the Premier League for Norwich City (Image: Ryan Pearce)
Arsenal have plans to improve their attack, especially on the left flank, for the summer. Tzoris isn’t the only acquisition in this area, with Morgan Rodgers’ contract currently off the table. While Tzoris naturally became Brugge’s main player, his role at Arsenal will be very different.
Of course, there is a risk that Tzoris’ exceptional performance in Belgium will not translate to the Premier League. Even if you have additional experience and knowledge.
The acquisition of Tzoris is somewhat unusual in this summer’s transfer window, where leading teams in the Premier League have focused on domestic signings in search of big transfer fees.
However, when you factor in the transfer fee, the expected upside on the contract, and the fact that Arsenal still have their left winger slot up and under contract, it’s easy to see why they feel signing Tzoris is a risk they feel is worth taking.
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