Арсенал баг гэмтэлтэй байгаа Вильям Салибагийн орон зайг нөхөх зорилгоор 28 настай хамгаалагчтай дөрвөн жилийн гэрээ байгууллаа.
Арсенал баг Астон Виллагийн хамгаалагч Эзри Консаг 51 сая фунт стерлингээр худалдан авч, нэмэлт нөхцөлтэйгээр 4 сая фунтийн төлбөр төлөхөөр тохиролцлоо. Вильям Салиба нурууны гэмтлийн улмаас удаан хугацаагаар талбайд гарах боломжгүй болсон тул уг наймааг хийх шаардлагатай болсон байна. Мөн Юрриен Тимбер гэмтлийн улмаас нөхөн сэргээлт хийж байгаа нь Арсенал багийн хамгаалалтын бүсэд туршлагатай тоглогч хэрэгтэй байсныг нотолж байна.
Конса нь Премьер лигийн туршлагатай, баруун жигүүрийн хамгаалагчийн байрлалд ч тоглох чадвартай тул Микель Артетагийн сонголтод бүрэн нийцжээ. Тэрээр Английн үндэсний шигшээ багийн бүрэлдэхүүнд багтдаг “homegrown” буюу дотоодын тоглогч гэдгээрээ Арсенал багийн бүрэлдэхүүний хязгаарлалттай холбоотой асуудлыг шийдвэрлэж байна. Хоёр тал анх үнийн хувьд зөрүүтэй байсан ч эзэмшигчдийн түвшинд хийсэн яриа хэлэлцээний үр дүнд тохиролцоонд хүрсэн юм.
Микель Артетатай хийсэн яриа нь Консаг энэхүү шилжилтийг хийхэд эерэгээр нөлөөлсөн байна. Шинэ хамгаалагч багтаа нэгдсэнээр Арсенал багийн зуны солилцооны цонхны нийт зардал ойролцоогоор 200 сая фунт стерлинг хүрээд байна. Конса бэлтгэлдээ оройтож гарсан тул наймдугаар сарын 31-нд Астон Виллагийн талбайд болох тоглолтод оролцох магадлалтай байна.
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From the outside, Arsenal spending heavily on another defender may seem an unexpected turn in a summer when so much of the focus has been on strengthening their attack. Internally, however, the need for another centre-back had long been established.
The roots of the Ezri Konsa signing can be traced back to January, when Arsenal contacted Marc Guehi’s camp. Guehi’s contract with Crystal Palace was due to expire in the summer, and Arsenal were exploring the possibility of adding a third senior centre-half to supplement William Saliba and Gabriel.
Guehi chose to join Manchester City in January. Since then, Arsenal’s need for a new centre-half has been exacerbated by the absence of Saliba, expected to miss an extended period with a back injury. After a summer-long pursuit, Arsenal have now signed Guehi’s England international team-mate Konsa, paying £51million ($69.5m) plus £4m in potential add-ons to sign the 28-year-old on a four-year deal from Aston Villa.
The Athletic spoke to sources at both clubs and close to the player, granted anonymity to protect relationships, to tell the story of the move.
The loss of Saliba crystallised Arsenal’s requirements: they wanted a player with Premier League experience, able to slot straight into the back four.
With Jurrien Timber also in rehabilitation after undergoing groin surgery, a player who could also cover at right-back was considered ideal.
Konsa ticked every box. What’s more, he’s homegrown: Arsenal currently have 17 non-homegrown players, the maximum permitted in a 25-man Premier League squad.
The problem was always price. Arsenal’s initial valuation of Konsa was closer to £40million, with Villa holding out for something like £60million. A compromise was eventually reached at £51million (plus £4m in potential add-ons), with talks at ownership level helping to secure a breakthrough.
From the start of the summer, there was a feeling that Villa could be vulnerable to a bid for Konsa. The defender had two years remaining on his contract, and was the most saleable asset at the club outside of Morgan Rogers. Villa had offered a new contract that would have placed Konsa among their highest earners, but it remained unsigned.
At 28, Villa were conscious this might be the opportune moment to cash in.
Konsa has been a reliable servant to Villa (Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
In 2019, Villa paid in the region of £12million to sign him from Brentford. After seven good years at Villa Park, Arsenal’s interest offered the chance to turn a major profit. Villa had planned for this. Joel Ordonez of Club Brugge and Milan’s Fikayo Tomori had previously been two of several players they had identified.
Ordonez is admired but would be expensive, so his arrival in this window is being played down. Villa have also had an offer worth £18million ($24.5m) plus add-ons rejected for Southampton centre-back Taylor Harwood-Bellis, but he remains a key target.
Even before Arsenal stepped up their pursuit of Konsa this week, Villa had established several priority and back-up targets.
For Konsa, Arsenal held significant appeal. Not only are they Premier League champions, but the move offered a chance to play in London. Konsa has lived in the capital’s suburbs throughout his time with Villa, commuting the 118 miles to their Bodymoor Heath training ground.
Konsa has a good rapport with Arsenal’s England contingent, and the potential transfer was a topic of conversation among the international squad during the World Cup. The feeling among the players, even then, was that it was a matter of time. Konsa is particularly close with Bukayo Saka — Arsenal’s vice-captain FaceTimed Konsa during Villa’s Europa League parade.
Born in Silvertown, east London, Konsa is a graduate of Senrab FC — the Sunday league club whose alumni include Ledley King, John Terry and Sol Campbell. Konsa grew up supporting Arsenal’s neighbours Tottenham Hotspur. King was his idol.
Positive conversations with Mikel Arteta added to Konsa’s conviction about the move. Having already signed Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle, Arteta saw Konsa as another plug-and-play acquisition — someone who could step seamlessly into his team with minimal adaptation.
Arteta had a conversation with Konsa about the move (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
For the Arsenal manager, Konsa’s versatility was a bonus. Konsa is clear that his preference is to play at centre-back, which has led Unai Emery to use him as a full-back infrequently in recent seasons. During the World Cup, however, England manager Thomas Tuchel was content to deploy Konsa at right-back.
“It (right-back) is a position that I’m very familiar with,” said Konsa during the tournament. “I’ve always said wherever the manager wants me to be, I’ll always do my best and I feel comfortable there whether it’s centre-back or right-back.”
One issue is that Konsa arrives at Arsenal some way behind in his preparations. Emery gave Emiliano Martinez, Ollie Watkins and Konsa an extended break after the World Cup. The defender only returned to training late last week. While he has maintained his fitness during the lay-off, the expectation is that it will take him a little time to get up to speed. Arsenal’s second Premier League game could be a potential target — it falls on August 31, at Villa Park.
With a significant gap between valuations of Konsa, Arsenal explored alternatives. Their interest in Cristian Romero was significant, with assistant manager Gabriel Heinze a strong advocate for his countryman’s leadership attributes. Despite Tottenham’s insistence that they would not sell to their rivals, Arsenal continued to explore the viability of a deal.
Arsenal have a long-standing interest in Atletico Madrid’s Marc Pubill. Atleti are unwilling to consider selling Pubill, even after signing Romero. They also made enquiries around Jarrell Quansah of Bayer Leverkusen. The German club had no interest in selling Quansah, and with Liverpool’s buy-back set at €70million, Arsenal recognised any pursuit could prove even more expensive than Konsa.
Recent negotiations between Arsenal and Villa have been strained. Villa were unimpressed by Arsenal’s approach to a mooted deal for Watkins in January 2025, and Rogers’ exit earlier this summer.
Arsenal’s conviction that they needed a new defender pushed them to try and find a solution. While a precise prognosis for Saliba is difficult to determine, Arsenal expect him to miss several months. Konsa can bridge the gap, and provide a reliable third central-defensive option beyond that. As the two clubs edged towards an agreement, any lingering friction was eased over by ownership-level talks.
Konsa said his goodbyes at the Villa training ground on Wednesday morning. His behaviour throughout his time in the Midlands has been exemplary. Villa sources spoke of his commitment and professionalism, even in the manner of his departure.
The £51million fee is significant for a player who turns 29 in October. Arsenal feel an older centre-half brings balance to a group that contains 22-year-old Cristhian Mosquera and 16-year-old Marli Salmon. In addition to deals for Christos Tzolis, Guimaraes and Piero Hincapie — whose loan deal was made permanent this summer — it will take the club’s spending to approximately £200million.
Once Saliba returns, Arsenal have a wealth of options at centre-back. Saliba, Gabriel, Konsa, Mosquera, Calafiori, Timber, Hincapie and White all have considerable experience in that position. For outsiders, it might seem like an unnecessary hoarding of resources. For those who have followed Arteta’s Arsenal closely — a team built from the back — it comes as no great surprise.
At one stage, it looked as if Arsenal might raid Villa for Rogers to transform their attack. They are still exploring the market for a player capable of adding a new dimension going forward. In the meantime, they have moved for Konsa — not to reinvent the team, but to protect one of its greatest strengths.
