Arsenal readying bid for Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa | OneFootball

Arsenal are preparing an opening bid to test Aston Villa’s resolve for versatile England international defender Ezri Konsa.

The North London club are moving quickly to strengthen their options at the back as manager Mikel Arteta fine-tunes his squad ahead of a demanding 2026/27 campaign.

Arsenal have suffered a major setback in defence following William Saliba’s recent injury. The French international was forced off during France’s World Cup semi-final exit at the hands of Spain due to a persistent back problem.

While the length of Saliba’s absence is still being assessed, a lengthy spell on the sidelines is expected. Arteta views Konsa—who can play both centre-back and right-back—as a key utility option to help maintain Arsenal’s defensive strength.

Konsa’s stock is at an all-time high following his performances for England at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, where their run was ended by a narrow 2-1 semi-final defeat to Argentina on Wednesday.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery regards Konsa as an irreplaceable cornerstone of his project at Villa Park. With two years remaining on the ‘excellent’ defender’s contract, Villa are expected to demand a premium fee as they aim to navigate tight financial constraints.

Complicating Arsenal’s pursuit of Konsa is their simultaneous interest in Morgan Rogers. While negotiating for two key players from the same club within a single transfer window is challenging, the Gunners have the financial resources to pull off both moves.

With pre-season preparations underway and international commitments concluding, Arsenal are expected to submit their opening offer to Aston Villa in the coming days.