Tzolis Reshapes Arsenal's Transfer Plans
Christos Tzolis cost £34million. It already looks like money that could reshape Arsenal’s entire transfer plan.
Five games, four assists, one of them away to Napoli in the Champions League. The 24-year-old has walked straight into Mikel Arteta’s side on the left and played like he has been there for years. For a club that spent the summer eyeing a blockbuster move for Vinicius Jr, that matters.
Arsenal had a £140m budget pencilled in for the Real Madrid star before he signed a new deal at the Bernabeu. That cash hasn’t vanished. It’s sitting there, waiting for the right target. And Tzolis’ form might just have pushed the conversation towards a different kind of signing: a ruthless No. 9.
Tzolis changes the picture
When Arsenal brought in Tzolis, sporting director Andrea Berta talked up his “strong mentality” and promised he would “raise the technical level” of the team. Those quotes sounded optimistic at the time. They look prophetic now.
Arteta has been just as complimentary, calling Tzolis “very, very smart” and praising his ability to “make good decisions when a lot of people tend to rush.” You can see exactly what they mean. He holds his width, picks his passes early, and rarely forces the game.
That reliability on the left is crucial. Arsenal had been prepared to throw a huge fee and wages at Vinicius Jr to lock down that flank for the long term. Now, with Tzolis delivering at a fraction of the price, the club can afford to look elsewhere when the next window opens.
Specifically, down the middle.
Osimhen back on the radar
According to The Telegraph, Arsenal raised Victor Osimhen’s name during talks with Galatasaray while discussing other potential deals. The Turkish side had an eye on Gabriel Martinelli and Ethan Nwaneri, and those conversations opened the door to at least exploring the Nigerian’s situation.
Nothing happened then. Osimhen stayed put, Martinelli ended up at Al-Hilal, and Nwaneri moved to Borussia Dortmund on loan. The idea, though, didn’t disappear. It lingers in the background, especially with that £140m budget still effectively unspent.
If Arsenal decide to go big on a striker, Osimhen fits the profile Arteta has been searching for: explosive, direct, and ruthless in the box. His numbers for Galatasaray underline it. In 78 appearances, he has scored 65 goals and laid on 18 assists. That is elite output, both domestically and in Europe, and exactly the kind of composure in front of goal that separates title challengers from champions.
Pressure on the current forwards
Arsenal are not short of bodies up front. Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres are already in the building and, on paper, give Arteta options.
Havertz has started the season well, with three goals in five games. He links play, drifts between the lines, and presses from the front. He offers a lot, but he is not a penalty-box predator in the traditional sense.
Gyokeres, meanwhile, has barely got going. Just 100 minutes and no goals so far. It is early, but the contrast is stark when you set those figures next to Osimhen’s record. Arteta wants a striker who terrifies centre-backs, attacks crosses, and turns half-chances into winners. Right now, that description fits Osimhen better than anyone on Arsenal’s books.
A statement waiting to be made
Any move for Osimhen in January would be huge. The fee would be enormous. The wages would match. But it would also be a statement of pure intent, especially if Arsenal are still trading blows with Manchester City at the top of the Premier League.
The logic is simple. Tzolis has effectively solved a problem position on the left for £34m. That unexpected value gives Arsenal the freedom to divert their biggest resources towards the centre-forward role. Instead of chasing another winger, they can push all their chips in on a No. 9.
Picture it. Tzolis on the left, whipping in those early, accurate crosses. Osimhen timing his run, bullying defenders, and finishing with the cold certainty he has shown in Turkey and in Europe. The Emirates crowd roaring as another chance becomes another goal.
For Arsenal, that isn’t just a fantasy. With Tzolis thriving and the striker question still unanswered, it looks more and more like the next logical step.
