Arsenal have agreed a deal to sign Ezri Konsa from Aston Villa for £50million plus add-ons, with the England international now set to undergo his medical.
Fabrizio Romano reports that a long-term contract has been agreed with the 28-year-old, who is expected to complete medical checks within the next 48 hours before signing for Mikel Arteta’s side.
It completes a remarkable turnaround after Arsenal initially struggled to bridge a sizeable valuation gap with Villa.
Ezri Konsa Arsenal transfer agreed after £35m rejection
Romano has given the deal his famous “here we go”, reporting that Arsenal and Aston Villa have agreed a £50m fee plus add-ons for Konsa.
The breakthrough represents a significant shift from earlier negotiations.
Arsenal reportedly saw an opening proposal worth around £35m rejected, while Villa had been seeking closer to £60m-£65m for one of their most important defenders.
A £50m base fee therefore appears to have provided the compromise required to finally unlock the deal, with additional payments potentially taking the package higher.
Konsa gives Arteta an immediate solution to Arsenal’s defensive problems.
William Saliba is sidelined with a back injury, while Jurriën Timber has also been dealing with fitness issues. Konsa can operate at both centre-back and right-back, allowing Arsenal to cover two vulnerable positions with one signing.
The agreement also follows difficulties pursuing alternative targets.
ReadArsenal reported on Tuesday that Bayer Leverkusen had told Arsenal Jarell Quansah was not for sale, despite the England defender emerging as another option for Arteta.
Arsenal have now responded decisively.
Konsa brings extensive Premier League experience and arrives as an established England international rather than a defender requiring significant adaptation.
His medical remains the final major step before the transfer can be completed.
But after weeks of negotiations and a substantial gap between the clubs’ valuations, Arsenal finally have their defensive reinforcement.
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