Arsenal agree £51m deal with Aston Villa to sign Ezri Konsa

Arsenal agree £51m deal with Aston Villa to sign Ezri Konsa Arsenal have agreed a deal worth £51 million plus add-ons to sign Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa, per The Athletic’s David Ornstein .  Konsa is now set to undergo a medical on Thursday before the move is made official.  Manager Mikel Arteta has been pushing for Konsa after William Saliba sustained a serious injury during the 2026 World Cup.  Saliba doesn’t need surgery, but he will likely be sidelined for a few months.  Jurrien Timber’s groin injury flared up again over the summer, which made bolstering the backline a more pressing issue for Arsenal.  Konsa’s ability to operate as a centre-back and right-back makes him an appealing option for the Gunners. The 28-year-old is highly rated for his quality on the ball and one-v-one defending.  Konsa was a key player for England at the World Cup, featuring in all eight games of the summer tournament.   He has been a mainstay in Unai Emery’s Villa squad since joining the club in 2019 from Brentford.  The versatile defender has made 286 appearances across all competitions, bagging 12 goals and four assists.  Konsa played an instrumental role in the Lions’ Europa League triumph in 2025-26. He started 10 matches in the tournament, including the final against SC Freiburg.  Arsenal ended their 22-year wait to win the Premier League trophy last season. They aim to retain the title in 2026-27, as they have made several quality additions to the squad. Arsenal signed Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge before confirming Bruno Guimaraes’ arrival from Newcastle United in a £75m deal. Stats from Transfermarkt