England defender Ezri Konsa has completed his £51m transfer to Arsenal from Aston Villa, signing a four-year contract with an option to extend for a further year. The 28-year-old expressed his pride in joining "one of the best teams in the world" and his hunger to win.
The agreement between the clubs was reached on Wednesday after weeks of negotiation, with Villa potentially receiving an additional £4m in add-ons. Konsa made 286 appearances for Aston Villa since July 2019, contributing to their Europa League triumph in May, their first major trophy since 1982.
Arsenal's sporting director Andrea Berta highlighted Konsa's athleticism, composure, and tactical intelligence, noting his versatility in central defence and at right-back. The move comes as Arsenal faces fitness issues with key defenders William Saliba and Jurrien Timber.
Konsa's departure is part of a significant squad overhaul at Villa Park, driven by the club's need to comply with Uefa's squad cost ratio and the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules. Villa has already seen high-profile exits this summer, including Youri Tielemans and Morgan Rogers.