Arsenal pursue fifth signing, prepare new bid for Ezri Konsa
Arsenal’s Transfer Activity
Arsenal is reportedly preparing a new bid for Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa as they aim to strengthen their squad. This comes as the Premier League champions are on the verge of securing Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes. The club has already completed the signings of Christos Tzolis and Illan Meslier, and has made Piero Hincapie‘s loan move permanent.
Negotiations for Guimaraes have concluded, and the Brazilian midfielder has completed his medical examination with Arsenal, ready to join Mikel Arteta‘s squad. Despite these acquisitions, Arsenal’s transfer activities are not finished, with the club still hoping to sign Vinicius Junior from Real Madrid.
Pursuit of Ezri Konsa
Reports indicate that Arsenal is preparing a second offer for Konsa, an England international defender. This move is aimed at bolstering their defence, especially after William Saliba sustained a back injury while playing for France at the World Cup.
Arsenal’s initial bid for Konsa earlier in the summer was reportedly significantly lower than Villa’s valuation of the player, which is stated to be around £60 million. Despite this, Arsenal has not abandoned their pursuit of Konsa, who is considered a primary target for the centre-back position. According to one report, the initial offer was a little above £30 million.
Aston Villa, managed by Unai Emery, has seen the departures of Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans, and Lucas Digne this summer. Consequently, the club is not under financial pressure to sell Konsa. Villa is reportedly only willing to consider Konsa’s transfer to Arsenal if they can secure a suitable replacement first.
Konsa played in all eight of England’s matches during the recent World Cup, where the national team achieved a third-place finish. His performances during the tournament were noted, and he has been a consistent presence for Villa, a club that has qualified for the Champions League twice in the last three years.
Journalist Tom Collomosse suggests that Arsenal remains interested in Konsa, but they will need to make a substantially improved offer. There are indications that players at Aston Villa are anticipating Konsa’s potential departure this summer, which could be seen as a positive sign for Arsenal’s chances of acquiring him.
Konsa is noted for his stability, solidity, and confidence as a centre-back, having performed at a high level for several years. He was a regular starter for England during their World Cup campaign. While he may not displace Arsenal’s current starting centre-backs, he is considered capable of competing for a role and can also play as a full-back. If Arteta is keen on bringing Konsa to Arsenal, the club will need to submit a considerably higher bid.
Liverpool’s Interest and Defensive Needs
Liverpool is also reportedly monitoring Konsa, potentially looking to intercept Arsenal’s transfer plans. With Arsenal having secured Guimaraes and ended their pursuit of Vinicius Junior, their focus has shifted to acquiring a new defender, with Konsa being a top priority.
Liverpool’s interest in Konsa stems from their own need for defensive reinforcements. Ibrahima Konate has moved to Real Madrid, and Virgil van Dijk is 35 years old. The club’s manager, Andoni Iraola, is seeking a partner for Van Dijk in defence. The team’s defensive depth is a concern, particularly given the youth and recent injuries of Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni.
Jacquet and Victor Munoz are the only two signings Liverpool has made this summer. The lack of defensive options was highlighted when assistant manager Tommy Elphick had to play at centre-back during a recent training session. Konsa’s ability to play at right-back is also seen as beneficial, as this has been a challenging position for both Arsenal and Liverpool.
The £60 million valuation for Konsa has reportedly made Arsenal hesitant while they were also pursuing other high-profile targets. Iraola’s interest in Konsa, who is a childhood friend of Arteta, might prompt Arsenal to finalize the transfer. This is especially relevant given injuries to Ben White and Jurrien Timber, which ruled them out of the World Cup, and ongoing doubts about Saliba’s fitness. Konsa could provide cover in these areas.
Iraola has acknowledged the team’s current defensive situation, stating, “With the centre-back, with the right-back situation, in terms of defensive depth, we are, I think, very thin right now.” Additionally, Joe Gomez is expected to miss the beginning of the season due to injury. Konsa’s market value is reported as €45m.
Source: goal.com
