Arsenal are expected to step up their interest in Morgan Rogers after agreeing to sign Christos Tzolis.
Standard Sport understands that the Gunners are moving to finalise a deal for Club Brugge winger Tzolis worth £33.8million.
The Greek international, formerly of Norwich, is seen as a direct replacement for Leandro Trossard, who completed his £15.3m transfer to Besiktas earlier this week.
Tzolis would become Arsenal’s third signing of the window so far, after goalkeeper Illan Meslier joined on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract at Leeds.
Last month, the reigning Premier League champions also triggered their £34.5m option to convert Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie’s successful season-long loan stint at the Emirates Stadium into a permanent transfer.
The Gunners also have interest in Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes and Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez, but they missed out on Leicester wonderkid Jeremy Monga to title rivals Manchester City.
Georgian Under-21 international Andria Bartishvili is another youngster that Arsenal are believed to be eager to sign this summer.
Further arrivals are expected and Arsenal now look poised to ramp up their summer business as the World Cup draws to a close, with England facing France in Saturday’s bronze medal match ahead of the final between Spain and Argentina on Sunday.
Rogers will hope to impress again for the Three Lions in their last game of the tournament in Miami, having started the last-gasp semi-final defeat by Argentina and provided a stunning assist for Anthony Gordon’s opening goal.
Attention will then turn immediately to his club future, with Arsenal having made the playmaker their top transfer priority as they plot to test Aston Villa’s resolve.
A first bid is now reportedly being prepared, according to talkSPORT, with Arsenal viewing Rogers as a versatile No10 who can also play down the flanks - as he did for England against Argentina.
It remains to be seen if they are able to change Villa’s stance on being unwilling to sell their most prized asset following a superb season in which he enjoyed a starring role in their Europa League triumph and fourth-place finish in the Premier League.
Rogers - previously of interest to Chelsea - scored 14 goals and provided 12 assists in 55 appearances across all competitions last term, earning UEFA’s Europa League Player of the Season award after both scoring and assisting in May’s 3-0 final win over Freiburg in Istanbul.
Villa have already lost the services of key midfielder Youri Tielemans to Manchester United, while left-back Lucas Digne is expected to depart for Paris Saint-Germain following the World Cup.
Villa are closing in on the signing of Brazilian midfielder Joao Gomes from rivals Wolves in a deal worth £38m, while they have also beaten Newcastle to a club-record £50m move for Freiburg’s Switzerland international Johan Manzambi, who shone at the World Cup.
It has been suggested that Villa value ex-Middlesbrough, Manchester City and West Brom attacker Rogers at £130m. He only a signed a new six-year contract in November that runs until the summer of 2031.
Arsenal’s record signing is currently Declan Rice, who cost £105m when he arrived from West Ham in 2023.
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