Arsenal’s Defensive Reinforcements: Signing Ezri Konsa
BBC Sport explores why Arsenal are targeting Konsa and how their squad might shape up.
Arsenal, champions of last season’s Premier League, are actively defending their title with a series of significant transfers. They’ve already brought in Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle for £75m and Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge for £34m; now, they’re set to sign Ezri Konsa from Aston Villa for around £51m.
Despite boasting seven senior defenders, Arsenal’s defensive line faces significant challenges this season.
Key Absences:
- William Saliba is out indefinitely with a long-term back injury.
- Jurrien Timber will miss the opening weeks with a groin problem.
This leaves Ben White as Arsenal’s only fit right-back and Cristhian Mosquera as their sole right-sided centre-back to partner Gabriel Magalhaes.
Mikel Arteta’s Defensive Preferences:
Arteta prefers not to field two left-footed players at centre-back, a situation that could arise if White gets injured and Mosquera shifts to right-back. Riccardo Calafiori is his preferred left-back, while highly rated youngster Marli Salmon is also on the books but expected to feature sparingly.
What Konsa Brings:
Konsa, a 28-year-old international stalwart, offers:
- Experience and Reliability: He started seven of England’s eight World Cup games, demonstrating his consistency at the highest level.
- Exceptional Defensive Statistics: Ranked first in the Premier League for ground duel success (73.1%) and passing accuracy (95%). His overall passing accuracy was also best among all players.
His signing would provide Arsenal with a seasoned, reliable defender to bolster their backline, addressing potential weaknesses left by injured key players.
