London Football exclusively interviewed Carlos Martinho, who served as assistant coach when Tsolis made his senior team debut at PAOK Thessaloniki (PAOK), and he talked about the Greek striker's early career.

Martinho, along with head coach Abel Ferreira, promoted Tsolis to the first team after his excellent performance in the youth academy. The striker came through the PAOK youth system, scoring 19 goals and providing 8 assists in 26 appearances for the youth team in the 2019-20 season.

During the pandemic, Tsolis became impossible to ignore. After Ferreira took notice of him, he made his official debut against Olympiacos, and then went on to set several Greek records, including being the youngest goalscorer in the Greek league in the 2019-20 season – he was only 18 years, 4 months, and 21 days old when he scored.

"One of the ways we work at the club is to always be attentive and in contact with the academy to identify players who can potentially reach the first team in the future," Martinho told London Football when talking about Tsolis' breakthrough season.

"From the moment Tsolis started playing in the U19s, we saw him as a player with great potential. During that time, he trained with us a few days a week, and it was already clear that he had great potential.

"Because of the pandemic, the league was suspended, and we needed to have a pre-season. During that training camp, we had him train with the first team every day. I think this was important because his personality was still a bit shy at the time.

"From then on, he understood that he was starting to be part of the first team, and he became more focused in training and more willing to integrate with the team and other players. This helped him show more quality in training.

"That pre-season lasted about a month to a month and a half, and in these training sessions, he constantly gave us signals that he had reached the level of the team's players. We weren't afraid to put him on the field.

"When the league restarted, he was in the starting lineup in the first game. Even if he wasn't a starter, he was always an option for the team.

"He proved that we were right to give him this opportunity, because he was very important in many crucial games. I'll just give one example: when we played in the Champions League qualifiers.

"In the first leg against Besiktas, we won 2-0, and Tsolis scored both goals, which directly gave us the opportunity to enter the Europa League.

"After that, we had more games to try to get into the Champions League, but from the moment he started playing with us, he was always very important."

Clearly, Tsolis does have talent – which is why Norwich signed him on a five-year contract for an undisclosed fee – and his start in England has been perfect. At just 19 years old, he scored twice and provided two assists in the League Cup against Bournemouth, helping the team to a 6-0 victory, and Farke also praised him as one of Europe's most dazzling rising stars.

However, Tsolis failed to maintain that form and could not help Norwich stay in the Premier League – which is not easy for such a young player. Since then, he has made significant progress.

"In all aspects, he is a complete player," Martinho added, "He is very active defensively and always tries to help the team when out of possession.

"He has strong transition speed and is very direct with the ball. He can score with both feet and always goes straight for goal.

"Obviously, this is the type Arsenal likes. For me, Arsenal's philosophy doesn't have one superstar; all players are excellent, but the real protagonist is the team itself.

"Tsolis has the same philosophy. He was chosen for a reason, because his principles, character, and playing style are a perfect match for Arsenal.

"For him, this will be a great challenge because he will now be playing for a team currently ranked among the top three in the world. He is ready and will be an important option for the coach to help the team achieve its goals this season."

This will naturally be reassuring for Arsenal fans after fan favorite Trossard transferred to Besiktas. The Belgian played an important role in the Gunners' Premier League title win, and finding a suitable replacement should not be overlooked.

Martinho firmly believes Tsolis can fulfill his potential and become a key player for the Gunners.

The Palmeiras assistant coach said: "I think, not just Tsolis, but every player has their moment to realize their true performance and true potential. I believe that now is Tsolis' time to show his abilities.

"He was sold very young, and sometimes this can be complicated because it relates to his character. He went to a different club where the playing style was different from what he was used to, because at PAOK, we were a team competing for the championship.

"Norwich, of course, I respect them very much, but their main goal at the time was not to avoid relegation. That was a completely different game. After that, he went to Germany, then to Belgium, and now back to England again. There is no doubt that these different leagues and different environments have helped him grow.

"I believe he is at a higher level now, more mature as a man, as an individual, and as a player. This is a good age for him: young, but already with a lot of experience.

"At 22, he has already played in the Championship, the Champions League, and in different countries. For this age, this is very rich experience, and it will help him prove his true quality in England for the second time."

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