Arsenal Reach Verbal Agreement to Sign Club Brugge Attacker for 40 Million Euros

Arsenal have reached a verbal agreement with Club Brugge to sign attacker Christos Tzolis for 40 million euros (£33.9m). The Gunners are yet to table a formal offer for the Greece international but that is viewed as a formality, while personal terms will not be an issue. Once Arsenal table their bid for Tzolis, the winger will have a medical before signing a long-term contract with the club.

Sport revealed on Tuesday that Arsenal had accelerated their interest in Tzolis, following the departure of Belgium international Leandro Trossard to Besiktas. Sporting director Andrea Berta has worked on the deal after his assistant Maurizio Micheli watched the 24-year-old play for Greece against Sweden last month.

The move for Tzolis is separate to Arsenal's bid to sign at least one high-profile forward this summer. They retain a long-term interest in Atletico Madrid's Julian Alvarez, who is the club's priority target, but Barcelona and Real Madrid are also interested in the Argentina international.

Morgan Rogers is Arsenal's preferred option in their search for a versatile forward, with the club's efforts to sign the Aston Villa attacker set to accelerate once his participation at the World Cup with England is over. Paris St-Germain winger Bradley Barcola is viewed as the alternative in the event of failing to reach an agreement with Aston Villa, who reportedly value Rogers at £130m.