David Butler / IMAGN Images via Reuters
Arsenal have agreed a deal worth in excess of £51m with Aston Villa to sign defender Ezri Konsa.
The Gunners made the England international their top defensive target to bolster their squad following an injury suffered by William Saliba during the World Cup, which is likely to rule him out of action for several months.
Mikel Arteta had made signing a new right-sided defender a priority for the transfer window ahead of the new Premier League season, as the north London side look to retain their title for the first time in their history, and Konsa is now understood to be on his way to the Emirates Stadium.
According to The Athletic journalist David Ornstein, Arsenal and Aston Villa have agreed a fee worth £51m plus add-ons for the 28-year-old defender to switch clubs ahead of the opening game of the season.
Konsa has already said his goodbyes to Aston Villa teammates and staff ahead of the move, and is now expected to undergo a medical in London on Thursday, before putting pen to paper on a long-term contract.
It was reported earlier on Wednesday that the two clubs were close to an agreement, having closed the gap in valuation that was there earlier in the window, when Arsenal tabled a £30m bid. Aston Villa initially valued Konsa at £60m, and weren't interested in dropping their price.
Arsenal had also been showing an interest in Bayer Leverkusen defender Jarrel Quansah as a potential alternative, but Konsa was always seen as the top target at the Emirates Stadium.
Now a deal has been agreed, and Konsa will look to compete for a starting spot for the champions alongside Gabriel Magalhaes, Saliba, and Cristhian Mosquera at centre-back, while Jurrien Timber and Ben White are the current right-back options.
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Fees correct prior to summer 2026
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Ezri Konsa World Cup Stats 2026
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'Unbelievable' Konsa Ready to Make an Impact
Photo courtesy of Reuters.
Konsa has established himself as one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League in recent years, and his exit from Aston Villa will be a huge blow for the club as they prepare to return back to the Champions League this season.
But for Arsenal, who already had one of the best defences in Europe last season, they are now even stronger and will be even more difficult to beat, and that could be the difference between them finally being able to win the top European prize.
His performances at the World Cup earned him big praise too, with now former teammate Morgan Rogers describing him as 'one of the best centre-backs in football'.
“Honestly, I don’t know a flaw in his game, and I think that’s helped Villa that probably a bigger club has not taken him in the last few years. I think that’s helped us, because I honestly don’t know a problem in his game, really."