'Signing of the summer!' - Rio Ferdinand backs Arsenal’s £34m Christos Tzolis to be one of the best deals of the window

Ferdinand believes that Arsenal have secured the absolute bargain of the transfer window with their £34m acquisition of Tzolis from Club Brugge. Despite the Gunners spending big on several high-profile names following their first Premier League title in over two decades, it is the 24-year-old winger who has most impressed the former England captain.

Ferdinand, speaking on his YouTube channel, was quick to single out the Greek star for his immediate impact and technical quality. "Who is the best signing of the transfer window? From what I’ve seen so far, I’m going to go for Tzolis," Ferdinand said.

"For the price you got him for, £35m, from what I’ve seen, jinky little winger, great vision, making good decisions in the final third. I think, great bit of business done by the recruitment team at Arsenal. I’m going to go early, I’m going to say he’s going to be my signing of the season, as in terms of value, and in terms of what he does."

Mikel Arteta’s side did not rest after their historic title win, instead choosing to aggressively iterate on a winning squad. The North London club spent nearly £200m across the summer, addressing depth and quality in equal measure.

"They’ve spent big and I think they’ve spent brilliantly well," Ferdinand explained. "I think they’ve strengthened, they’ve looked stronger, they’ve bought more physicality, and a little bit of guile with Tzolis coming in the winger, who’s already looked really, really sharp and really bright, and looks a great sign at the price that he came in, which is a snip in today’s market. You’ve got Ezri Konza, top player, top centre-half, reliable, will play many games and will never let him down."

The hype surrounding Tzolis reached a new level after his display in the season opener. Former Arsenal winger Theo Walcott was equally effusive in his praise, noting that the Greek winger reminds him of Alexis Sanchez due to his direct style and positive first touch.

This "hybrid" style, combining the technical efficiency of Trossard with the explosive nature of Sanchez, has given Arteta a new dimension on the left flank. Ferdinand echoed this sentiment, suggesting the deal represents incredible value given the current inflation in the market.

The summer clear-out at the Emirates saw several high-profile departures, including Gabriel Martinelli to Al-Hilal for £56m and Gabriel Jesus to Barcelona for £8.6m. Leandro Trossard, Jakub Kiwior, Fabio Vieira, and Christian Norgaard also departed, allowing Arteta to refine his squad for a title defence. Ferdinand believes this balance of ins and outs has prepared them for the grueling season ahead. He concluded: "Arteta and his Arsenal team will be very quietly pleased with the business that they’ve done."