As Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters once said, “I’ve got another confession to make”, and mine is this: I’ve spent an unhealthy amount of time this season obsessively watching left wingers and repeatedly changing my mind about who I want Leeds United to sign.
I’ve already taken an in-depth look at both Igor Paixão (Marseille) and Mohamed Amoura (Wolfsburg), but unfortunately my transfer-window greed doesn’t stop there. As Kevin McCallister said in Home Alone 2, “there’s plenty more where that came from”!
Those of you misguided enough to still be reading these ramblings may be wondering why I remain so fixated on left wingers when Noah Okafor has just enjoyed a successful season. However, with Gnonto, Ramazani and Harrison all looking increasingly likely to leave, Leeds suddenly have a huge opportunity to reinvest intelligently and genuinely raise the ceiling of the squad. And I know for certain that an Aussie with Greek heritage is going to love this recommendation.
The Greek God: Christos Tzolis
And so, a blast from Daniel Farke’s past – Christos Tzolis. A player who, statistically, is one of the more productive attacking wingers currently operating outside Europe’s elite leagues. Tzolis boasts a 2025/26 record of 17 goals and 23 assists. Yes, you read that right. A player with huge promise at Norwich, but one who admittedly failed to catch fire is now the dominant force in Belgian football. Following earlier inconsistency in England and Germany, his development at Club Brugge has been extremely encouraging.
It’s such an exciting time to be a supporter of the Greek national team because the level of talent coming through the ranks is incredible. Talents such as Konstantinos Tzolakis, Konstantinos Koulierakis, Konstantinos Karetsas, Giannis Konstantelias and Charalampos Kostoulas have given supporters genuine reason for optimism that they can hit heights not seen since 2004. Yet despite all of that emerging talent, the player I keep coming back to is Christos Tzolis. Four years after his difficult spell at Norwich, he suddenly looks like the most complete attacking player of the lot.
Tzolis can beat defenders, create chances and score goals. That’s a pretty useful combination for any winger. At some point, the conversation stops being about whether he’s playing well and starts becoming about whether he’s simply outgrown the league he’s playing in.
According to FotMob, Tzolis has:
2024/25 – Belgian Pro League
- 16 goals (6th overall)
- 9 assists (2nd overall)
- 25 goals and assists (2nd overall)
- 7.58 FotMob rating (3rd overall)
- 79 chances created (4th overall)
- 16 big chances created (4th overall)
2025/26 – Belgian Pro League
- 17 goals (2nd overall)
- 23 assists (1st overall)
- 40 goals and assists (1st overall)
- 8.07 FotMob rating (1st overall)
- 135 chances created (1st overall)
- 25 big chances created (1st overall)
- 15.9 xA (1st overall)
- .47 xA per 90 (1st overall)
- 17.4 xG per 90 (1st overall)
These numbers are simply ridiculous, underlining just how influential he was to Brugge’s success. They also show that he has improved in every metric across the last two seasons. The version of Tzolis we’re seeing at Club Brugge looks a world away from the teenager who struggled at Norwich. Stronger, more experienced and considerably more productive, he appears far better prepared for a second crack at the Premier League. The obvious caveat is the level of the league. We’ve seen plenty of players come from the Belgian Pro League to the Premier League and look hopelessly out of their depth. Mike Trésor arrived at Burnley with huge promise, but hasn’t scored a single goal in the three years he has been at Turf Moor. Wolves snapped up Tolu Arokodare after he finished as the top scorer in the 2024/25 season. He managed a measly three Premier League goals last season – one shy of Brenden Aaronson. So we must definitely consider the league he’s operating in. But when a player is leading virtually every meaningful attacking metric available, it becomes increasingly difficult to dismiss his production as a statistical fluke.
POSITIONAL PROFILE
Primary Roles
- Left winger
- Inverted winger
- Inside forward
Secondary Roles
- Right winger
- Supporting striker
- Attacking midfielder
THE NORWICH DAYS
The obvious concern with Tzolis is that we’ve already seen him in England and it didn’t work. But context matters. When Norwich signed him from PAOK in 2021, he was only 19 years old and arriving at a club that simply wasn’t equipped to survive in the Premier League. It’s widely accepted that Daniel Farke wasn’t supported enough when Norwich were promoted to the Premier League. Fair or not, Tzolis was expected to help fill the enormous void left by the talismanic Emi Buendía. That’s a huge burden for any young player, never mind one adapting to a new country and a new league.
The Tzolis playing for Club Brugge today looks like a very different footballer. He’s stronger, more composed and far more decisive in the final third. The raw talent was always there. The difference now is that it feels far more refined than it did during his spell at Norwich. If Leeds were to revisit him this summer, they wouldn’t be signing the teenager who struggled four years ago. They’d be signing a player who appears to have learned a great deal from those experiences.
PLAYSTYLE PROFILE
Tzolis is an aggressive winger by nature. His first instinct is usually to drive forward, attack defenders and make things happen. That’s one of the reasons his numbers have exploded in Belgium. He plays with a level of directness that constantly puts opponents under pressure.
What has impressed me most, however, is that he no longer looks like a player trying to force every attack. Earlier in his career there was a tendency to rush things. Now there’s a little more patience to his game. He still backs himself in one-on-one situations, but he appears far more willing to combine with team-mates and pick the right moment to attack. That balance has made him a much more complete player, and a focal point in both the Brugge and Greek teams.
ATTACKING OUTPUT
Ultimately, the biggest attraction is the numbers. Seventeen goals and twenty-three assists from a wide player is exceptional, regardless of the league. More importantly, his output isn’t coming from one specific source. He’s creating chances for others, scoring goals himself and consistently finding dangerous positions in and around the penalty area. Watch enough of Tzolis and you quickly realise that he’s involved in almost everything good his team does going forward. The challenge, of course, is working out how much of that production would carry across to the Premier League. That’s the question every club interested in him will be asking this summer.
ATHLETIC PROFILE
The teenage Tzolis who arrived at Norwich looked talented but raw. The version playing for Club Brugge today appears much more ready for the demands of elite football. He’s stronger, more resilient and far better equipped to handle the physical battles that come with playing at the highest level. And having watched him just this week when Greece faced Sweden, it’s clear he still has pace to burn.
HOW HE IMPROVES LEEDS
1. More goals from wide areas
Leeds still rely heavily on their forwards for goals. Tzolis would help spread that burden as another option in attack.
2. Direct running
He loves driving at defenders and committing opponents.
3. Pace in transition
When games become stretched, Tzolis is extremely dangerous.
4. A point to prove
Few players would arrive more motivated to show they belong in the Premier League.
MAJOR STRENGTHS
1. End product
Seventeen goals and twenty-three assists speak for themselves.
2. Improved decision-making
Looks far more mature than the player who left Norwich.
3. Directness
Always looking to hurt teams.
4. Physical development
Better equipped for the demands of Premier League football.
CONCERNS
1. The Belgian league question
Outstanding numbers don’t always translate directly to England.
2. Can still force things
His directness is a strength, but occasionally it can work against him.
3. Confidence
Like many attacking players, form appears to influence his performances.
4. Cost
Of all the wingers discussed so far, Tzolis may well be the most expensive. The Athletic’s David Ornstein reported on August 17th 2025 that Crystal Palace were interested in Tzolis as an Eze replacement. Since then, Tzolis’ value will only have increased. Reports suggest it will take a club record fee, which stands at €36m, for Brugge to sell. If Paraag Marathe was right in his assessment that Leeds will need to shoot for the moon, Tzolis might well be the pilot on the space shuttle.
MY FINAL THOUGHT
I look at wingers and I genuinely can’t decide which one I want. One minute it’s Paixão. The next it’s Tzolis. Why can’t we have both? Grrrrr. But the more I’ve looked into Tzolis, the more I’ve found myself warming to the idea.
Yes, there are risks. There always are when you’re judging a player based on performances outside the Premier League. The Belgian league is not the Premier League, and anyone pretending otherwise is kidding themselves. But there comes a point where the numbers become impossible to ignore.
Seventeen goals. Twenty-three assists. Forty goal contributions.
More importantly, he passes the eye test. Tzolis looks quick, direct and confident. He plays with the sort of intent that gets supporters off their seats and defenders backing towards their own goal.
Four years ago, his move to England came too soon. Looking at him now, I’m not convinced that’s the case anymore. If Leeds announced the signing of Christos Tzolis tomorrow morning, I’d be very excited to see how he got on at Elland Road.
