Aston Villa are working urgently to identify a suitable replacement for Ezri Konsa, with the defender on the brink of completing a switch to Arsenal – and one candidate has emerged as the frontrunner to fill the vacancy at Villa Park.
Ezri Konsa appears set to depart(Photo: Getty Images)
Villa are eager to negotiate a transfer with Chelsea for Tosin Adarabioyo as Konsa moves ever closer to joining the Gunners.
Having already seen Morgan Rogers depart for £117million to Stamford Bridge, in addition to Lucas Digne moving to Paris Saint-Germain and Youri Tielemans linking up with Manchester United, Unai Emery will be hoping to maintain much of his key group heading into the new campaign.
It promises to be a pivotal season for the Birmingham club, who must balance their Premier League commitments with Champions League obligations and domestic cup tournaments.
Nevertheless, it seems Konsa will not feature in the side he has called home for the past seven years.
Arsenal are searching for defensive cover after William Saliba suffered a back problem that will sideline him for a considerable spell.
Konsa has now emerged as their primary target, with the north London club having reached an agreement worth £51m plus additional clauses for the 28-year-old, who is scheduled to undergo his medical examination on Thursday.
It is understood that Villa have already identified a potential successor to Konsa in the shape of Chelsea defender Tosin.
Sky’s Essential TV and Sky Sports package features at minimum 215 live Premier League matches throughout the 2026/27 season, alongside more than 1,500 contests from the EFL and additional competitions, plus coverage of Formula 1, golf and darts.
This promotional deal represents a saving of £384 against the standard cost, with every package also offering 100 regular channels together with complimentary Netflix and discovery+ subscriptions.
FOLLOW OUR FACEBOOK PAGE! Access additional news and AVFC analysis through our Aston Villa Facebook page
According to Sky Sports, Emery’s side are assessing the possibility of signing the 28-year-old, who has found regular first-team opportunities hard to come by since his arrival in west London two years ago.
While no formal bid has been submitted as yet, Villa are considering Tosin among other options to address the gap Konsa’s departure will create.
Whatever direction the club opts to take, swift action would be advisable.
Official premium experiences at Villa Park are now accessible for the 26/27 Premier League season. Transform an ordinary matchday into something truly memorable.
Not only does the summer transfer window shut on September 1, but the Midlands outfit have just four days remaining before their Premier League season opener.
Emery’s side travel to face Brighton and Hove Albion at the AMEX Stadium on Sunday, August 23 at 2pm – and will be aiming to carry their impressive form from last term’s fourth-placed finish into the 2026/27 campaign.