Arsenal, the reigning Premier League champions, have reached an agreement with Aston Villa to sign defender Ezri Konsa in a £51m deal. The move comes as Arsenal seeks to strengthen their defensive options, particularly with William Saliba and Jurriën Timber currently sidelined due to injuries.
Mikel Arteta, Arsenal's manager, hopes that Konsa will help cover for Saliba, who is not expected to return before mid-October after sustaining a back injury during France's World Cup semi-final. Konsa's versatility, including his ability to play at right-back, also addresses the ongoing groin injury affecting Timber.
Konsa, 28, was a key player for England in their World Cup semi-final run and has made 286 appearances for Aston Villa since joining in 2019, contributing to their Europa League victory last season. Arteta believes Konsa's addition signals Arsenal's ambition to build on their recent title success.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa is preparing for a new offer from Al-Hilal for striker Ollie Watkins, following their rejection of an initial bid of nearly £40m. Villa has also been active in the transfer market, signing Zion Suzuki, Matteo Ruggeri, Johan Manzambi, and João Gomes, while also seeing Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans, and Lucas Digne depart.