Arsenal are preparing to make another move for Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa, with the Gunners seeking experienced cover for injured centre-back William Saliba.
Saliba suffered a back injury while representing France at the World Cup, leaving Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta short of options in central defence heading into the new season.
According to The Daily Mail, Arsenal are poised to return for Konsa as their primary target to fill the void left by Saliba’s absence.
The Gunners have already been active this summer, completing signings of Piero Hincapie via a buy clause, goalkeeper Illan Meslier, and winger Christos Tzolis.
Arsenal are also expected to announce the arrival of midfielder Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United imminently, adding further quality to Arteta’s squad.
Konsa will not come cheap, with Aston Villa valuing the 28-year-old England international at £60 million, a figure Arsenal have so far been unwilling to match.
The Gunners previously valued Konsa at between £30-35 million, meaning the onus is now on Arsenal to table a significantly improved offer of around £45-50 million to bring Villa to the table.
Konsa has less than two years remaining on his contract at Villa Park, a factor that could influence negotiations as the season opener on August 21 against Coventry City approaches.
The former Brentford man helped Villa secure a top-four Premier League finish last term and contributed to Europa League glory, recording a passing accuracy of 95% and winning close to 70% of his duels in the league.
He also caught the eye at the World Cup with England, showcasing the recovery pace and ability to clear his lines that have made him one of the Premier League’s most reliable central defenders.
Arsenal trialled Cristhian Mosquera alongside Hincapie in a recent 3-1 friendly defeat to Real Betis in Dublin, but the experiment left questions over whether Mosquera offers the necessary quality from the right centre-back position.
Arteta is understood to want a proven and experienced solution, and Konsa, a mainstay in Villa’s backline for several seasons, fits that profile precisely.
The defender has reportedly opened the door to a move to the Premier League holders, but Arsenal will need to act fast given Villa may demand a high-profile replacement before sanctioning any deal.