Arsenal's summer recruitment of winger Christos Tzolis is already paying dividends off the pitch, according to Club Brugge president Bart Verhaeghe, who says the Gunners' staff have been full of praise for the 24-year-old since he arrived at the Emirates.
Tzolis completed a £34m switch from Club Brugge in July, agreeing a long-term deal with the Premier League champions. The move came as manager Mikel Arteta looked to strengthen his attacking options following Leandro Trossard's exit, with Gabriel Martinelli also made available for a transfer amid the club's reshaping of its forward line.
Since joining, Tzolis has slotted into Arteta's squad relatively smoothly, contributing to a perfect start to the season as Arsenal won their opening four Premier League matches. Attention now turns to Wednesday's Champions League fixture against Napoli, where the Greek international could feature again for a side keen to build early continental momentum.
Sporting director Andrea Berta had already flagged the significance of the signing before Tzolis kicked a ball for his new employers, suggesting the winger would elevate the technical quality of the squad and bring a robust mentality to the dressing room.
That assessment appears to have been echoed internally, according to Verhaeghe, who described a warm exchange with Arsenal representatives at last month's Champions League draw in Monaco. Speaking to Het Belang van Limburg, the Brugge president recalled being approached by club officials eager to praise the deal.
"At the Champions League draw, I saw people from Arsenal and they showed a tremendous amount of respect," Verhaeghe said. "'What a player you've delivered', they told me. They said he has an excellent attitude, is the best in the physical tests and is a great guy, too."
In further comments to Het Laatste Nieuws, Verhaeghe reiterated the reaction he received from Arsenal staff and used the moment to highlight his club's development methods. "Arsenal said 'what a player' when they approached me after the draw," he said. "Christos had come out on top in all the tests. That's what we do here: deliver a ready-made product. Because we know what those top teams are looking for. We prepare our players for that kind of football."
Verhaeghe went on to defend Brugge's long-standing approach to player development, which once drew skepticism but has since become widely adopted across the sport. "Back then, people laughed at our holistic approach to nutrition, sleep, special glasses… Today, it's all standard practice. We were the innovators from day one, and we'll keep innovating," he said, pointing to Brugge's growing reputation as a supplier of talent to Europe's elite. He noted that the Belgian club has recently sold players to both Arsenal and Inter Milan — two sides that have reached Champions League finals in the past two seasons — while also recruiting directly from the Premier League, including from West Ham, a scenario he suggested would have been unthinkable a decade ago.
The praise for Tzolis has not been confined to Brugge's inner circle. Arsenal defender Ben White also spoke positively about the winger's adaptation during pre-season, particularly highlighting his performance in fitness testing. "Christos has been amazing," White said. "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."
With Arsenal unbeaten domestically and preparing for a crucial European test against Napoli, the early signs suggest Tzolis' transition to English football is off to a promising start, both on the training ground and in the dressing room.
Based on reporting from Standard Football (Het Belang van Limburg, Het Laatste Nieuws).