Arsenal are targeting Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa in a £60m deal - and his team-mates think they know where he'll end up before the transfer window closes
Aston Villa stars are reportedly 'resigned to losing' Ezri Konsa this summer, with Arsenal interested in signing the England international. The Gunners are looking to bounce back from a disappointing setback in their pursuit of Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior.
It's claimed the Gunners are eyeing the Villa star, as they look to bolster their backline following an injury to William Saliba and concerns over Jurrien Timber and Ben White. The Mail says both Arsenal and Liverpool are keen on securing the England international, with his Aston Villa colleagues worried that Konsa will depart the club.
However, the Gunners will need to raise their offer, having already seen a bid much lower than Villa's £60m valuation swiftly rejected earlier this summer. It was claimed earlier this week that the Premier League champions will go back in with an improved offer before the window closes on September 1.
Konsa has been among the main transfer targets for Mikel Arteta's side this summer, behind Bruno Guimaraes and Vinicius Junior, but Arsenal are reluctant to overspend. While Arteta will now look to find an alternative attacking option to Vinicius, signing Konsa would be a huge coup and soften the blow of missing out on the Brazilian.
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However, Villa have already seen several key players exit this summer, with Morgan Rogers departing for Chelsea and Youri Tielemans joining Manchester United, meaning they are under no financial pressure to cash in.
Defender Lucas Digne is also expected to complete a move to PSG, but there is still said to be some anxiety within the Villa Park dressing room about Konsa's future, with the defender having just two years remaining on his contract.
Guimaraes is on the brink of switching to the Emirates Stadium for a reported £75m transfer from Newcastle United.
Yet, the Gunners suffered a setback earlier this week, with Vinicius poised to pen a new contract with Real Madrid.
Arsenal had been ready to table a blockbuster contract for the Brazilian winger in a bid to tempt him to the Premier League champions this summer, with the 26-year-old locked in a stalemate with Los Blancos over fresh terms.
However, Jose Mourinho's outfit enhanced their contract proposal, and Vini Jr has now committed his future to the Bernabeu.
The Gunners will now put that setback behind them and are reportedly set to pursue Konsa as they prepare to defend their Premier League crown this season.
Arteta is also determined to go one step further and claim Champions League glory, having suffered defeat to PSG on penalties in the final back in May.
Huhdinuy
1
mbappe
yudbcekouz
0
what at all is preventing arteta and arsenal to sign konsa some of the fans will not forgive them if we do not sign quality defender bcos timber,caliafoli,ben white are all injury prone...
Zehadikmop
0
new midfielder
Zehadikmop
0
swap by Asenso
Zehadikmop
0
Domcemsuyz
3
Konsa is not a top class player. I don't think he is at Arsenal level.
Womaeklo
0
Unai wouldn't want to do business with Arsenal. He would rather sell to Liverpool and Chelsea than Arsenal
But he's not in charge for sales of players
Jean55
0
Se konsa bagay yo ye
Wehacikmrs
0
I don't understand is arteta telling us mosquera can't deputise saliba in that defense, hence signing another fefender
we can't build the around mosquera... he's so inconsistent
AbSixers
1
I don't understand is arteta telling us mosquera can't deputise saliba in that defense, hence signing another fefender
mosquera can try, but you should understand that timber is beginning to look like injury prone. and there is no return date yet for saliba. ben white is good but I feels his confidence is not really that much for a team that want to compete for epl and champions league. so it's good if we can get konsa or romero
Charlesugwu
2
Unai wouldn't want to do business with Arsenal. He would rather sell to Liverpool and Chelsea than Arsenal
Yepcdeltu
2
I don't understand is arteta telling us mosquera can't deputise saliba in that defense, hence signing another fefender
resabekpst
2
You Gunners will never ever get the signature of Vinicius Jr because he is an indispensable star player of Real Madrid 😃
Surely you know that he’s signed a 6 year contract with Real. Thankfully for he would have destroyed our structure. Plus players contract renewals would have escalated.
tolexshine
0
let's see
tiddeinsz
4
I personally believe that he is worth £45ml maximum. If he wasn’t English he’d be cheaper.
ericklihanda007
0
You Gunners will never ever get the signature of Vinicius Jr because he is an indispensable star player of Real Madrid 😃
then real will not win anything soon with vini and mbampe in the same team
SGTSingam
3
You Gunners will never ever get the signature of Vinicius Jr because he is an indispensable star player of Real Madrid 😃