Arsenal agree £51m deal to sign Ezri Konsa from Aston Villa
Arsenal have agreed a deal to sign defender Ezri Konsa from Aston Villa, according to multiple reports.
The Gunners have reached an agreement with their fellow Premier League side to bring the England international to the Emirates Stadium for a reported fee of £51million plus add-ons.
Mikel Arteta had made signing another defender a priority this summer and he looks to have gotten his wish granted with Konsa now set to join his side.
Arsenal agree deal for Ezri Konsa
It was reported earlier today that Arsenal were closing in on a deal for Konsa with negotiations between themselves and Villa advancing and an agreement has swiftly been reached.
The defender has since said goodbye to his Aston Villa teammates and is expected to undergo his Gunners medical on Thursday ahead of officially completing his move to the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal's interest in Konsa was first reported in mid-July when it was revealed they were preparing a bid, but there was said to be a significant gap in the valuation leading to reports and rumours going quiet for some time.
Arteta's side reignited their interest in the Three Lions defender a week ago today and acknowledged that they would need to improve on the initial £30m they offered for his services a month prior with talks beginning once again as the two sides worked to find an agreement.
That has finally been reached with a £51m deal struck and Konsa set to join Arsenal after completing his medical tomorrow.
He has made 286 appearances for Villa since signing from Brentford in 2019 and has helped the West Midlands outfit evolve from relegation battlers to consistent contenders for the league's European spots, and he will now be aiming for the title as he edges closer to a move to the champions.
Konsa's impressive performances at Villa Park saw him earn a call-up to the England squad in 2024 and he has gone onto win 28 caps and score two goals for his nation. He played a key part in the Three Lions' run to the World Cup semi-finals this summer and scored in the third place play-off victory over France as they achieved their best finish since their 1966 triumph.
He also tasted victory for the first time at club level last season as he won the Europa League with Villa, starting in the 3-0 win against Freiburg in the final.
As a versatile defender who can play at both centre back and right back, Konsa will add plenty to Arsenal's already brilliant defence and he should be more than capable of providing cover while the likes of William Saliba and Jurrien Timber battle to return from their respective injuries.
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