According to The Daily Mail, Arsenal are preparing a formal move to sign Aston Villa centre-back Ezri Konsa.
The Premier League holders could be without William Saliba for the next few months after he sustained a back injury playing for France against Spain at the World Cup.
Arsenal are aiming for an experienced centre-back to provide sufficient cover, and The Daily Mail claim that the club are now weighing up a bid to sign Konsa from Villa.
The England international has yet to agree on a new Villa contract beyond June 2028 and he is reportedly open about his future.
Experience
Arsenal have a big void to fill with Saliba potentially ruled out for the long-term due to a back concern. The Frenchman may require surgery which could keep him out of action during the first half of the campaign.
The Gunners relied on Cristhian Mosquera and Jurrien Timber in Saliba’s absence last season, but the former has been inconsistent with his performances in central defence compared to the right-back position.
Timber has barely played as a central defender during his time at Arsenal, and the Dutchman may need to be managed with care after he was ruled out of the World Cup with the Netherlands due to a nagging groin issue.
Ben White is the fourth right-footed solution for the role, but he has yet to return to full fitness. The Englishman is still recovering from a knee injury sustained in May and may not be rushed back into action.
Hence, Arsenal’s eagerness to sign Konsa does not surprise us. The 28-year-old has vast league experience with the Villans and has become an undisputed starter under manager Unai Emery in recent seasons.
Konsa completed 95% of his passes in the Premier League last term. He won 68% of his duels with 3 recoveries and 4 clearances per match. The former Brentford man should act as ideal cover for Saliba.
The big question remains whether Arsenal can afford him. There is presently a significant gap in the valuations between the sides with Villa reportedly demanding at least £60 million for the experienced centre-back.
That is a huge outlay for a player who will be 29 in three months’ time. Arsenal are unlikely to sign him for such a figure, but could be willing to do business if Villa are prepared to consider between £40-45 million.
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