Christos Tzolis causes immediate stir in Arsenal training with team-mate taken aback

Arsenal signing Christos Tzolis has wasted no time leaving his mark on Mikel Arteta's squad since completing a £34million transfer from Club Brugge earlier this summer

New Arsenal import Christos Tzolis could be poised to surprise a few people at the Emirates Stadium this season. And the Greece winger is already pushing his way through the pecking order despite only signing for the Gunners last week.

The 24-year-old is Arsenal's highest-profile capture of the summer thus far, in addition to the permanent acquisition of Piero Hincapie. Tzolis has moved to north London after he was voted Belgium's Footballer of the Year following a 2025/26 campaign that saw him produce 51 direct goal involvements (22 goals and 29 assists) in all competitions.

Looking at those figures, fans can afford to feel hope for the impact he'll make going forward under Mikel Arteta this term. However, what may not be so apparent in those metrics is just how fit the former Norwich City winger is.

After joining up with the rest of his team-mates, Tzolis has got to work impressing players and coaching staff alike with his conditioning. And it's apparent the £34million man is eager to make an impression after topping the charts in pre-season testing.

"Christos has been amazing," said Ben White in a Reddit Q&A. "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."

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Arsenal's summer squad is still coming together after some players went on holiday following the World Cup. Arteta recently welcomed back the Brazilian duo of Gabriel Magalhaes and Gabriel Martinelli after they advanced as far as the round of 16.

Captain Martin Odegaard is scheduled to report for duty next week, while the England contingent of Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke will follow after that. Likewise, newly crowned world champions Mikel Merino, David Raya and Martin Zubimendi are due back last after getting their hands on the crown.

Nonetheless, it's still an impressive group of athletes that Tzolis has supposedly pipped to the top of pre-season testing. That being said, it will be of great interest to see how he fares once the group has fully assembled.

The new signing will get his first chance to turn out in Arsenal colours when their pre-season slate officially begins on Saturday. The Gunners already beat MK Dons 3-0 in a behind-closed-doors friendly but face Girona in Spain this weekend.

From there, the reigning Premier League champions take on Real Betis (in Dublin on Aug. 5), Borussia Dortmund (at the Emirates Aug. 9) and Como (again at home Aug. 12). That gives Tzolis only a handful of opportunities to truly make his mark before the new Premier League campaign gets underway.

He's off to a fine start, however, and has clearly put his name on the radar of certain figures at the club. In the end, however, Arteta will be the one he wishes to impress most as he looks to prove he's an upgrade on the departed Lenadro Trossard.