Christos Tzolis: Arsenal shirt number options as 'medical booked' for third summer signing | OneFootball

Gunners are closing in on the signing of the Greece international

Christos Tzolis will have to pick a new shirt number at Arsenal once his £33.8million transfer is finalised.

Standard Sport understands Tzolis is set to become the Gunners’ third signing of the summer - after Piero Hincapie and Illan Meslier - as a deal was agreed with Club Brugge earlier in the week.

While the deal is yet to be confirmed by Arsenal, Brugge manager Ivan Leko has dropped a clearest hint that the Greece international is on his way to the Emirates Stadium after being absent from Friday’s pre-season friendly against Heerenveen.

“(I am) very happy for him,” he told DAZN. “I am very sad for me on one side, because we are losing a top player.

Fresh reports in Belgium have claimed Tzolis will undergo his Arsenal medical over the weekend, so naturally attentions are set to turn towards the announcement video, and perhaps most importantly, the shirt number confirmation.

Throughout his senior career, Tzolis hasn't stuck to one particular squad number.

Upon breaking into the first-team picture at PAOK, he wore No68 before switching to No11. Then at Norwich he wore No18 before taking No19 at Twente and he usually wears No10 for the national team.

Meanwhile, he wore No7 during his one season at Fortuna Dusseldorf in Germany.

Christos Tzolis is set to join Arsenal, but will almost certainly not be wearing the No8 shirt

Belga/AFP via Getty Images

During his time at Club Brugge, Tzolis has worn No8. However, that shirt number is unavailable at Arsenal with it currently belonging to club captain Martin Odegaard.

As a result, he will have to settle for something different.

The vacant senior shirt numbers at the Emirates right now are No15, No17, No18, No19 - following Leandro Trossard’s move to Beskitas - No25, No26, No27 and No28.