Aston Villa have no intention of sanctioning the departure of 28-year-old defensive mainstay Ezri Konsa in the summer transfer window.
Aston Villa are determined to keep hold of Ezri Konsa this summer as Arsenal consider making a move for the centre-back, according to Football Insider. The 28-year-old has established himself as a cornerstone of Unai Emery’s project at Villa Park.
Aston Villa view Konsa as indispensable and are committed to keeping him for the long haul. The report claims the club regard the defender as a central figure in their plans moving forward and will do everything in their power to ensure he is still around next season.
Arsenal’s interest comes at a time when Mikel Arteta is assessing defensive reinforcements ahead of the new campaign. While the Gunners already boast one of the strongest defensive units in the Premier League, the club are exploring opportunities to add further quality and depth. They are looking to significantly bolster their defensive rotation to help them mount a challenge for the Premier League and the Champions League title.
His ability to feature as a centre-back and right-back offers tactical flexibility, something that Arteta values a lot. Konsa started in all but two Premier League games last season. He was involved in a total of 48 matches last season, racked up over 4,100 minutes and was one of their standout performers as they won the Europa League and secured a spot in the Champions League.
Aston Villa won’t sell Konsa to Arsenal
Konsa has carried that form into the World Cup and has started in all five of their games so far. While the Gunners are very keen on adding such a reliable figure to their ranks, Villa have no intention of making negotiations easy for any interested club.
While the North London outfit continue to pursue targets in multiple positions, convincing the West Midlands club to part ways with one of their most important players could prove extremely difficult. From Aston Villa’s perspective, losing Konsa would disrupt Emery’s defensive core as Villa pursue European ambition.
The Spanish manager has overseen impressive progress since taking charge, and maintaining the core of his squad remains a priority as the club seeks to compete at the highest level both domestically and in Europe. For the North London club, much may depend on whether they decide to formalise their interest with an official approach.
At present, the emphasis appears to be on monitoring the situation rather than advancing negotiations. The Birmingham-based club have not received an official approach from Arsenal. Even if they do make a move, only a massive financial package could force Villa to rethink their stance.
