Christos Tzolis has vowed that "now it's my time" as he looks to emulate his childhood Arsenal idol Alexis Sanchez, following a difficult previous spell in England at Norwich City.
The 24-year-old winger joined Arsenal in a £34million transfer from Club Bruges last month, after recording 40 goal contributions, 17 goals and 23 assists, in 36 league appearances last season.
It marks a steep rise from his struggles at Norwich in the Premier League five years ago. Tzolis failed to break through at the club before going on loan to FC Twente and Fortuna Dusseldorf, then moving to Belgium.
Tzolis said it was totally different at Norwich compared with now, adding that it is always difficult for a team promoted from the second division to play at a high level in the Premier League. He said the team was not really ready for the Premier League, which made it difficult for him to adapt and play how he could.
He said he had setbacks and difficulties but learned a lot from that period at Norwich. Tzolis said he has been important for his teams for three years in a row with a big role in attack, and now feels more ready to play in the Premier League for Arsenal. He said he believed he made the right decision after Norwich, that he developed and improved a lot, and that he is not the same player he was at Norwich. He said he feels it in his body and his mindset, and that now it is his time to show he is ready and capable of playing in the Premier League.
Debut goal against Girona
Tzolis made his full debut for Arsenal against Girona on Saturday, scoring his first goal for the club less than two weeks after joining. He received the ball on the left, cut inside and fired his shot into the bottom-right corner via a deflection off Kai Havertz.
Tzolis wears the number 17 shirt, once worn by Sanchez at Arsenal. He said he knew Sanchez wore number 17, that he watched a lot of football and saw Sanchez as a top player for Arsenal as a left winger, and one of the players he looked up to when younger. He said he sees some similarities with Sanchez but that this was not why he took the number 17. He said it was nice, and that he hoped to have the same success as Sanchez did wearing that number.
Setting the pace in fitness tests
According to Ben White, Tzolis has quickly become the man to beat in fitness testing at Arsenal. White said Tzolis came in, did all the testing, and beat everyone, adding that he is fitting in really well and that everyone is happy to have him there.
Tzolis agreed, saying he knew he had won so far, though not all the players had done the tests yet. He described the test as running 20 metres, back, 40 metres, back, 60 metres, back, repeated around five times in a row, covering roughly 1.2 kilometres as fast as possible, which he called pretty hard.
Tzolis said he had an advantage because he started pre-season with Bruges two weeks early and always tried to stay fit during the summer. He said he arrived at Arsenal with his fitness level ready and was happy to show it there.
