Ezri Konsa: Arsenal eye move for Aston Villa and England defender

Ezri Konsa, the England and DR Congo-eligible centre-back currently at Aston Villa, is being linked with a summer move to Premier League rivals Arsenal. The north London club are exploring defensive options and Konsa, valued at around 40m, has emerged as a potential target ahead of the new season.

Konsa, 28, is under contract at Villa Park until 30 June 2028, meaning any deal would require Arsenal to pay a significant fee to persuade Villa to sell a key player to a domestic rival. He has been a mainstay in the Villa back line since arriving from Brentford in July 2019 for 13.3m and has accumulated more than 230 Premier League appearances, underlining his experience at the top level.

The defender is coming off a high-profile campaign in which he helped Aston Villa win the Europa League in 2025-26, adding European silverware to a CV that already included being part of Englands run to the Euro 2024 final. His consistent domestic form has been complemented by regular involvement on the international stage, including five starts at the 2026 World Cup.

Arsenals interest comes as they look to reinforce a squad competing in the upper reaches of the Premier League and in Europe, with central defence viewed as an area where added depth and experience could prove valuable over a long campaign. Villa, however, are under no contractual pressure to sell, with Konsa tied down for another two years, leaving his long-term future still firmly in the Midlands for now.