Arsenal have agreed a £51m deal to sign Ezri Konsa from Aston Villa.
The Premier League champions have been looking for a new defender with William Saliba out for an extended period of time and Jurrien Timber also sidelined with a long-term groin problem.
Arsenal looked into a potential deal for Bayer Leverkusen’s Jarell Quansah but have chosen to advance with a move for his England team-mate Konsa. Both players have a similar profile and can play at right-back and centre-back.
Villa had initially held out for £60m, with Arsenal hoping to pay much less, but the two clubs found a compromise on Thursday to strike a deal for the 28-year-old.
Konsa must be registered by midday on Thursday to be available for Arsenal’s Premier League opener against Coventry, live on Sky Sports, on Friday.
If not ready for this weekend, Konsa could make his Premier League debut for Arsenal at Aston Villa, live on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football on August 31.
Villa boss Unai Emery had given the England international – and his other players that reached the late stages of the World Cup – an extended, four-week break after the tournament.
Source: Sky Sports
