PAOK's academy technical director, Vasilis Mittas, told The Sun: "Christos joined us at the age of seven, with qualities that set him apart. From the very beginning, it was clear that he was an exceptionally talented footballer. Everyone who worked with Christos at the academy believed he had the potential to reach the very highest level and play for one of Europe's biggest clubs."
Barcelona were sufficiently taken with the winger that they tried to sign him at the age of just 12, after PAOK's under-12 side beat them 2-1 in a friendly at Barcelona's own training ground. Mittas recalled: "We won 2-1, with Christos scoring one goal and providing an assist, playing a decisive role in the victory and producing the standout performance of the match.
"His display was so impressive that Barcelona expressed an interest in him immediately after the game."
Tzolis stayed in Greece, and Mittas says the interest never affected his temperament.
"He never caused any problems off the pitch. He was the type of player who would do everything possible on the pitch to help his team succeed," Mittas said, adding that the winger's mentality was central to his development: "He possessed an incredibly strong mentality and an unwavering desire to win."
That resolve was tested when Tzolis left PAOK for Norwich in 2021 as a 19-year-old, in a move worth around £9 million. He managed just 14 Premier League appearances for the Canaries, later confirmed by Sky Sports, and spent two of his three seasons out on loan, including spells at FC Twente and Fortuna Düsseldorf, before rebuilding his career at Club Brugge.
Mittas said: "Christos was still very young and had to adapt to a completely new environment, a different culture, a new language and the unique demands of English football. What impressed me most was the way he responded. He never allowed that difficult period to define him."
Tzolis went on to score 22 goals and provide 29 assists in 52 appearances for Brugge last season alone, helping the Belgian club to the league title, and has posted strong underlying numbers across his two full seasons in Bruges. Arsenal's sporting director, Andrea Berta, described him as "an extremely versatile attacking player who naturally operates on the left but is comfortable across the front line," with "incredible technical ability."
Tzolis arrives on a five-year deal as a direct replacement for Leandro Trossard, who left for Besiktas in a £17 million deal this week.
Mittas believes the move suits both player and club: "I believe Christos is a perfect fit for Arsenal's style of play, just as he is ideally suited to the demands of the Premier League. He is now entering what are traditionally considered the most productive years of a footballer's career, and I firmly believe that his best football is still ahead of him."