Arsenal had €65m bid rejected for Bundesliga player before signing Ezri Konsa | OneFootball

Arsenal reportedly made a serious attempt to sign Jarell Quansah during the summer transfer window, only to see a €65million (£55.5m) offer rejected by Bayer Leverkusen.

The England defender had already emerged as a major target as Arsenal looked for cover for William Saliba and Jurriën Timber.

The move ultimately did not happen, and the Gunners instead turned to Ezri Konsa, completing a £55m deal with Aston Villa.

Arsenal saw €65m Quansah bid rejected

According to Bild, Arsenal went beyond simply expressing interest in Quansah and submitted a concrete €65m offer in August.

Leverkusen rejected the bid, despite having signed the defender from Liverpool in 2025 for around €35m. Quansah is under contract until 2030 and has established himself as a regular in Germany, while Real Madrid and Chelsea are now also reported to be monitoring him closely.

Arsenal’s interest was independently reported at the time. The Guardian revealed in August that the Gunners had opened talks with Leverkusen as they searched for defensive reinforcements, with Quansah and Konsa both under consideration.

In the end, Arsenal chose Konsa. The England international arrived from Aston Villa for an initial £51m plus £4m in add-ons, signing a four-year contract with an option for a fifth season.

Gunners no longer need to revisit Quansah

Quansah remains an attractive player, but Arsenal’s situation has changed significantly since the summer.

Konsa can operate both centrally and at right-back, which gives Mikel Arteta the same kind of positional flexibility that made Quansah appealing in the first place. Sky Sports noted that his versatility was a major factor behind the transfer.

There is also a simple financial argument. Arsenal have already spent up to £55m filling that defensive need, so returning for Quansah next year would mean committing another major fee to an area that is no longer an obvious priority.

That does not mean Arsenal were wrong to pursue him. A €65m bid shows just how highly they rated him.

But unless injuries or departures dramatically change the picture, the smarter move now is to trust Konsa and direct future spending elsewhere.