£51m signing to have Arsenal medical today

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Ezri Konsa is expected to undergo his Arsenal medical today after the club agreed a deal worth £51 million plus add-ons with Aston Villa.

The England international is now on the verge of becoming Arsenal’s fifth senior signing of the summer after reportedly saying his goodbyes to Villa team-mates and staff ahead of the move.

Arsenal have reached an agreement with Aston Villa worth around £51 million plus performance-related add-ons for Konsa, with the 28-year-old scheduled to complete his medical before signing a long-term contract.

The deal follows weeks of negotiations after Arsenal’s opening £30 million bid was rejected. Villa had initially valued the defender at around £60 million before accepting Arsenal’s improved offer.

Konsa has been one of Arsenal’s leading defensive targets throughout the summer, with his ability to play at both centre-back and right-back making him an attractive option for Mikel Arteta.

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The move comes as Arsenal seek immediate defensive reinforcement following William Saliba‘s back injury and Jurrien Timber‘s continued recovery from a groin problem.

Konsa’s Premier League experience, recovery pace and positional versatility are viewed as key attributes.

The transfer is not yet official, with the medical and final paperwork still to be completed. However, the major elements of the move are understood to be in place, including the transfer fee, the player’s desire to join Arsenal and personal terms, which are reported to be close to being finalised.

If the deal is completed as expected, Konsa will become Arsenal’s fifth senior arrival of the summer, following Piero Hincapie, Illan Meslier, Christos Tzolis and Bruno Guimaraes.

Konsa made 48 appearances in all competitions last season, scoring twice, and still had two years remaining on the contract he signed in September 2023.

Reports have linked Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo with Villa as a possible replacement, while The Athletic has also reported that Arsenal retain an interest in Bayer Leverkusen defender Jarell Quansah as they continue to assess their defensive options.

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