Arsenal now “advancing” on summer deal

There’s a fine line for Arsenal to tread this summer, balancing the need to strengthen while they’re on top, but also not to rock the boat too greatly after such impressive progress in recent seasons.

You only have to look at the fate of Arne Slot to see what can befall the champions, with the Dutchman paying the price for a dismal title defence following a seismic summer of spending in 2025.

New arrivals, as that window showcased at Anfield, can at times do more harm than good, with the Gunners needing to ensure that this harmonious squad is not disrupted too greatly.

That being said, of course, Mikel Arteta’s men must also capitalise on their status as the Premier League’s leading light, as well as the turbulence that has engulfed their rivals, by bringing a handful of smart signings to north London.

Arsenal expected to wrap up deal alongside Tzolis interest

Amid reports that Leandro Trossard has already agreed personal terms with Bestikas, Arsenal’s first priority this summer may well be to strengthen on the left flank.

Well, it looks like they are set to do just that, as the surprise news broke on Friday evening that the champions are exploring a deal for Club Brugge star, Christos Tzolis.

The suggestion is that the Greek winger could be available for a fee of around £35m, ensuring he would not impact further, marquee moves for the likes of Morgan Rogers.

Whether a deal for the 24-year-old is close or not remains to be seen, although one move that looks set to get over the line is Arsenal’s signing of Leicester City starlet, Jeremy Monga.

As per Fabrizio Romano, speaking on his YouTube channel, the Gunners are “advancing” with regard to that deal, both with the player himself and with the Foxes, having said to be going “very strong” in their bid to sign him.

While Romano did add that there is still work to be done before he can state that Monga will “100%” join the north London side, he did note that his famous “here we go” catchphrase is to be “expected” this summer.

Why Monga could be a bigger talent than Tzolis

Eyebrows might have been raised at the news of Arsenal’s interest in Tzolis, but one look at the winger’s 2025/26 record is enough reason for excitement.

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Indeed, in the Belgian Pro League, the one-time Norwich City man hit 40 goals and assists, having previously chalked up 25 during the 2024/25 campaign with Brugge.

At a time when only Viktor Gyokeres reached double figures for league goals at Arsenal, and with no player getting beyond six assists, such a signing could breathe new life into Arteta’s stuttering forward line.

That being said, if there were to be one cause for concern it would be Tzolis’ prior lack of impact in English football, having flattered to deceive while on the books at Norwich between 2021 and 2024.

In all, he made just 30 appearances for the Canaries, contributing just five goals and assists, having spent much of his time away from Carrow Road out on loan.

The caveat would be that he was merely a youngster at the time, although so too is Monga now, with the teenager already earning rave reviews at the age of just 16.

A Premier League debutant at just 15 in 2024/25, the England youth star has already chalked up 37 senior appearances for the Foxes, scoring and assisting three goals.

Typically deployed off the left, like Tzolis, the 2025/26 campaign saw Monga record one goal and two assists from just eight Championship starts, having hardly been to blame for the club’s slide into League One.

For comparison, Tzolis’ time in the Championship in 2022/23 saw him fail to register an assist and score just once, albeit while starting just three of his 13 league outings that season.

He also only averaged 0.08 successful dribbles per game, with Monga, meanwhile, averaging one per game in 2025/26, a stellar return considering his age.

Tzolis, now 24, has come into his own in Belgium in recent seasons, but Monga is already “one of England’s biggest talents” at just 16, in the view of analyst Ben Mattinson, highlighting why he could represent the more astute pick-up this summer.

Of course, Arteta and co might have to wait to see the Leicester wonderkid making an impact at first-team level, although all the signs point to him being a genuine superstar of the future.