Arsenal have reportedly agreed a deal worth more than £50million to sign Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa.
Arsenal Logo
Arsenal Logo
Full name: Arsenal Football Club Nickname: The Gunners Founded: October 1886 Stadium: Emirates Stadium Owner: Kroenke Sports and Entertainment Co-chairmen: Stan Kroenke, Josh Kroenke Manager: Mikel Arteta League: Premier League Season 2025/26: Champions Website: arsenal.com Arsenal football club is one… Read More about ARSENAL
Arsenal have moved fast to strengthen their defence this week. The Gunners have agreed a deal worth more than £50 million for Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa, as per latest transfer news. He now heads to London for his medical.
Ezri Konsa to Arsenal: A Deal That Finally Came Together
As reported by BBC Sport, Arsenal reopened talks with Villa over a deal for Ezri Konsa. But, the two clubs initially fell short of reaching an agreement. That gap in valuation pushed the Gunners to look elsewhere for a short spell. The reigning Premier League champions appeared to pivot towards Bayer Leverkusen defender Jarell Quansah as talks with Villa stalled.
However, Mikel Arteta’s side again made their move for Konsa. Fabrizio Romano also confirmed the breakthrough, reporting that a long term contract had been agreed. The player will complete his medical within 24-48 hours before officially signing for the north London side. The defender grew up supporting Tottenham Hotspur. He personally pushed for this switch after Emery gave him extended time off following the World Cup. This shows just how much this move means to him on a personal level.
Konsa’s Numbers Behind The Move
Konsa arrives with plenty of PL experience behind him. The 28-year-old, who joined the Villans in July 2019, has made 287 appearances over the past seven seasons. Last season alone showed his continued importance to Unai Emery’s setup. The player played 48 games last term in all competitions. He scored two goals and contributed one assist, as Villa lifted the Europa League. The club also finished fourth in the PL to secure Champions League football for 2026-27.
Konsa’s 2025/26 stats for club & country, as per FOTMOB:
Competition Matches Defensive Contribution DuelsWon(%) SuccessfulPasses(%)
Premier League 34 196 67% 95%
FA Cup 1 7 66% 92%
EFL Cup 1 10 80% 100%
Europa League 12 53 63% 93%
FIFA World Cup 8 36 63 97%
Konsa has not featured at all during Aston Villa’s pre-season, including the 2-1 defeat to PSG in the UEFA Super Cup. That rest came on merit rather than injury, since he played in every game of England’s World Cup run as the Three Lions finished third. Given his current fitness gap, a debut in an Arsenal shirt might have to wait a little while. He could even play against his old club at Villa Park before August ends.
Why Arsenal Needed More Options Urgently
This signing was never just about squad depth. Arsenal have been planning to sign a new defender following William Saliba’s back injury at the World Cup this summer. The French star is set to miss the first few months of the season. Adding to the concern, Jurrien Timber is still working his way back to fitness after a groin issue since March forced him to miss the World Cup.
ArsenalArsenal
With options running out, Ben White and Cristhian Mosquera remain the only fit right-sided defenders available to Arteta. That makes Konsa’s versatility across the back line very key. This move can be compared to Arsenal’s £75 million move for Bruno Guimaraes in terms of bringing in a proven PL star rather than a developing talent. That said, it shows exactly how highly Arteta rates him heading into a title defence.
Read Next: Martin Zubimendi gets Real Madrid green light amid Arsenal exit
Read More: Jarell Quansah: Arsenal open talks over summer transfer