Ezri Konsa is closing in on a transfer to Arsenal after Aston Villa look palms on a cope with their Premier League counterparts for the England defender
Ezri Konsa is poised for a transfer to Arsenal(Picture: Getty)
Ezri Konsa is predicted to endure a medical at Arsenal tomorrow after the Gunners struck a deal price within the area of £50million plus add-ons for the England worldwide.
Konsa, who grew up supporting Tottenham, pushed for the transfer following an prolonged break after the World Cup.
Premier League champions Arsenal aren’t anticipated to beat Thursday’s 12pm registration deadline in time for Konsa to function of their opener in opposition to Coventry Metropolis on Friday, although his health nonetheless requires work anyway after Unai Emery handed him 4 full weeks of relaxation alongside Ollie Watkins and Emi Martinez.
It means there’s a agency likelihood that Konsa, offering all formalities go to plan, might effectively make his Arsenal debut at Villa Park – the bottom he has referred to as residence for the previous seven seasons – on August 31.
Mikel Arteta has been completely set on signing the 28-year-old, who was his prime defensive goal and had a brand new profitable contract on the desk within the Midlands, regardless of curiosity in numerous different centre-backs together with Jarell Quansah, Cristian Romero and free agent John Stones.
Konsa may function as a a right-back and is seen as a plug-and-play signing, very like £75m arrival Bruno Guimaraes, that bolsters Arsenal’s depth within the absence of William Saliba – absent with a long-term again drawback.
The Gunners initially made a £30m method for Konsa earlier this summer time which was instantly dismissed earlier than returning to the desk final week and speaking their need to achieve £40m for the participant.
Nonetheless, Villa continued to carry agency on their £60m asking value till Konsa, who had two years left on his current deal, made it clear he was decided to pursue the chance and return to London, the place he beforehand performed for Brentford and Charlton Athletic.
He’s on track to grow to be Arsenal’s fifth summer time acquisition after Piero Hincapie (his mortgage from Bayer Leverkusen turned everlasting), Illan Meslier, Christos Tzolis and Guimaraes, which might take their spending to round £194.5m.
Konsa – set for a considerable pay-rise – will even grow to be the newest high-profile Villa sale after Youri Tielemans ( Manchester United ), Morgan Rogers ( Chelsea ) and Lucas Digne ( PSG ) whereas Watkins and Martinez are additionally going through unsure futures on the membership.
Watkins is needed by Al-Hilal, who’ve had three approaches rebuffed so far.
One other think about Arsenal’s choice to signal Konsa is that he is a homegrown participant. Having eight homegrown gamers registered will allow them to formally identify a 25-man Premier League squad. Winger Gabriel Martinelli at present classifies as homegrown however he might but depart earlier than the deadline.
If the Gunners had been solely capable of checklist seven senior homegrown gamers, they’d solely be capable of register a 24-man squad.
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