How much will Arsenal have to pay for Ezri Konsa?

Aston Villa initially demanded £60 million, but the exact final transfer fee has not yet been announced. According to Transfermarkt, Konsa's value is €45 million.

Why is Arsenal bringing in a center-back?

Arsenal are dealing with defensive injuries - William Saliba and Jurrien Timber are sidelined, so the club is looking for a reinforcement who can cover both center-back and right-back positions.

When could the transfer be finalized?

According to reports from The Athletic and Sky Sports, negotiations are at an advanced stage and a deal is close, but the exact date of signing has not yet been announced.

Football

Arsenal on the Brink of Signing English Defender Konsa

Q: Is Ezri Konsa an England international?

Yes, Konsa is a regular England international who also featured at the World Cup this summer.

A.P. · Prije 1 dana | 3 min

The Gunners are in talks with Aston Villa to bring in the 28-year-old international, with the transfer expected to bolster the defense after injuries to Saliba and Timber.

Summary

Arsenal are in advanced negotiations with Aston Villa for the transfer of center-back Ezri Konsa.
Villa initially demanded £60 million, while Konsa's Transfermarkt value is €45 million.
Konsa is being brought in as reinforcement due to injuries to William Saliba and Jurrien Timber.
Analysts highlight that Konsa was the Premier League's best defender in ground duels last season.

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Arsenal are in the advanced stages of negotiations with Aston Villa over the transfer of English defender Ezri Konsa, according to reputable British sources on Tuesday. As reported by The Athletic and their journalist David Ornstein, a deal between the London and Birmingham clubs is close to being finalized, and the arrival of the 28-year-old is expected to significantly strengthen the defensive ranks of the current Premier League champions.

Arsenal have decided to make this move due to the high number of injured players in the back line. Particularly notable is the serious injury to William Saliba, a regular starter at center-back, while Jurrien Timber is also sidelined. Konsa, who can also cover the right-back position, represents an ideal solution for both roles until the injured players recover.

Villa Demanded £60 Million

Sky Sports reports that Arsenal's interest in Konsa has been ongoing throughout the summer, but negotiations initially stalled due to the high price. Aston Villa initially demanded as much as £60 million for their center-back, an amount the London club was not willing to pay. However, as the transfer window draws to a close, talks have intensified and are now at an advanced stage.

Konsa has two years remaining on his contract with Villa, and according to Transfermarkt's valuation, his market value stands at €45 million. Aston Villa brought him in from Brentford in 2019 for €13.3 million, meaning the Birmingham club could make a significant profit from his sale.

The Perfect Player for Arteta

Sky Sports analyst Sam Blitz believes Konsa is the ideal profile of player that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is looking for. "If there's one thing you need to know about Mikel Arteta, it's that he loves players who win duels. No one was better at that last season than Ezri Konsa," Blitz said.

The England international, who also featured at the World Cup this summer, had the best ground duel success rate of any Premier League defender last season. In that statistic, he convincingly outperformed even Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool and Gabriel, who could become his teammate at Arsenal next season.

Arsenal currently have Cristhian Mosquera and Ben White as options in those positions, but the latter has struggled with injuries over the past two seasons. Completing the transfer of Konsa would fill a key gap in the squad and bring the Gunners closer to the end of the transfer window in terms of bringing in reinforcements.