Bring on Vinicius Jr! Arsenal new winger Christos Tzolis issues defiant message to Mikel Arteta as Gunners eye record-breaking deal for Real Madrid superstar

Arsenal’s summer business has already seen the arrival of Tzolis in a £34 million deal, and the 24-year-old is determined to prove he can be a mainstay on the left wing. Despite the intense speculation surrounding a potential British record move for Vinicius Jr, Tzolis is focusing solely on his own development under Arteta.

"Obviously I'm confident as a player, so I don't think about the future and what the club will do in this position," Tzolis told reporters when questioned about the potential arrival of further competition. "I'm thinking how to improve and settle as fast as possible in the club because I have the opportunity to train directly with the team from the beginning of the season, to play the friendly games and then to go to official games.

"It's a chance to play directly from the beginning and then it's up to me to show the qualities and what I can bring in the team. I'm pretty confident that I will show it in the next games."

While Tzolis is making his case on the pitch, Arsenal are reportedly working on a deal that would shatter the Premier League transfer record. Arteta has allegedly taken a personal interest in the pursuit of Vinicius, holding direct talks with the Brazil international to outline his vision. Reports suggest that Real Madrid have set a record-breaking €150 million price tag on the winger.

The interest comes amid a contract standoff at the Bernabeu, with Los Blancos reportedly prepared to cash in on the 26-year-old rather than risk losing him for a reduced fee later in his deal. Arteta has been coy when asked about the links but has admitted the club remains active in the market.

Tzolis immediately made his mark at Arsenal by scoring on his debut in a 4-1 victory over Girona. Following the match, Arteta was quick to praise his new Greek signing for his seamless integration into the first-team environment and the strong connection he has already built with the squad.

"I'm very pleased with him. First of all, the way he has adapted to the club, to the team," Arteta told the club's official website. The connection he's already generated with the boys. I think you're going to love the player. He's a very direct player. He's got the ball between the eyes. I think really good at linking up.

"He has a lot of similarities with Leo [Trossard] in a lot of the things that he can do and the spaces he can occupy. And then the work ethic that he has. He's a boy that comes with so much hunger as well and wants to prove it. It's a dream for him and we are here to help him."

For Tzolis, the move to Arsenal represents a second chance to shine in the English top flight after a previous spell with Norwich City, where he made his Premier League debut in 2021 against the Gunners. The winger is under no illusions about the magnitude of the task ahead but believes he is in the perfect place to reach his full potential.

"It's a great opportunity to be a player of this kind of level team because it's one of the best in the world ... That makes me very happy to be here and more hungry as well to develop," Tzolis explained. "I think I'm in the right club to develop and to get to the highest level. I'm really happy that I have this opportunity and I want to take it."

He concluded: "I feel now more ready to be in the Premier League. I think I did the right decision after Norwich. I developed myself, I improved a lot. I’m not the same player I was in Norwich. I feel it in my body and also in my mindset. Now it’s my time to show that I’m ready and capable of playing in the Premier League."