Arsenal backed to have landed a bargain
New Arsenal signing Christos Tzolis has been backed to save the Gunners a fortune in the transfer market. Mikel Arteta's men plundered Belgium's Pro League to sign its best performer of the last two seasons, who could have gone for a lot more. At least that's the assertion made by Belgian football expert Scott Coyne, who feels the £34.1million man may have gone for twice as much if he were playing in one of Europe's more prominent divisions.
As it is, however, Arteta & Co are hoping they've got their hands on a steal after identifying Leandro Trossard's replacement. Tzolis, 24, enjoyed a hugely prolific two-season spell in Bruges, where he contributed 43 goals and 45 assists in 108 appearances. And The Belgian Football Podcast's Coyne has tipped the former Norwich prospect to prove his value in the long run.
“I think Arsenal have got a good deal here. It’s the biggest outgoing transfer in Belgian football history, just pipping a couple of others that are just under that, just taking over from Charles de Ketelaere’s move when he went to AC Milan,”
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“They could easily have paid more. I think the thing with Belgian football is the top clubs, even the top clubs, get mugged a little bit because of their place in the food chain. If Tzolis had been producing these numbers in Germany or France or something, then Arsenal would probably be paying upwards of £60m or £70m for him.”
It stands to reason that a player with 51 goal contributions (22 goals and 29 assists) in only 52 games last term would command such a fee. And it's a mark of the upgrades Tzolis has made to his game since a middling three-year stretch on the books at Norwich. Fair to say the winger has improved tremendously since then. Just as Viktor Gyokeres is no longer the player who failed to break through at Brighton years prior to joining Arsenal, Tzolis is new and improved compared to his time with the Canaries.
“So it’s not a bad deal,” said Coyne, who also runs a football consultancy company.
“But I think it’s just one of these things that people haven’t remarked on with this deal, that the club could have gotten more. They won’t be unhappy with that.
“They regularly do deals for pretty much around the, yes, certainly over the £30m mark, which is extraordinary to do that on a regular basis for a club of that size. So, yes, I think Arsenal are getting him cheaply.”
The £34.1m fee looks like terrific business in a market where nine-digit signings have become increasingly common. Arsenal also managed to squeeze up to £17m out of Trossard's move to Besiktas, meaning half of Tzolis' cost is effectively accounted for before he's kicked a ball. He's currently on course to compete with Gabriel Martinelli for that left-sided slot in Arteta's attack. However, the player's malleability and ability to play off either foot - though he's naturally right-footed - makes him a versatile asset providing options in numerous positions.
Buying from leagues like Belgium, which is ranked just outside Europe's established 'top five', always presents some form of risk. It's nigh impossible to ascertain whether players will replicate the same success among the true elite, though Coyne has faith when it comes to Tzolis.
“It’s quite rare nowadays for any player, in my view, to have three really strong seasons where they’ve actually improved each year as well,”
“That level of consistency is what’s got him a big move back to the Premier League.”
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