Ezri Konsa at center of Arsenal pursuit as Aston Villa sets high price

Arsenal are monitoring Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa, the 28‑year‑old England international who featured in every game of the World Cup and was pivotal in Villa's recent Europa League triumph and Champions League qualification. The London club is reported to be considering a bid in the region of £35 million, but Villa have placed a considerably higher valuation on the player.

Aston Villa intend to open contract‑extension talks with Konsa immediately after the World Cup, signalling that he is not for sale. The club’s asking price is said to be around €70 million, far above Arsenal’s estimate of just over €40 million. Villa also aim to block any approaches from other Premier League sides such as Chelsea and Liverpool, as well as from Inter Milan, by strengthening his contract and making clear his importance to the team’s defensive core.

Konsa joined Villa in July 2019 and has played more than 230 matches for the club, appearing in 48 games last season and logging over 4,100 minutes. His versatility in both centre‑back and right‑back roles has made him a valuable asset on the transfer market, but Villa appear determined to retain him despite interest from multiple clubs.