Arsenal Pursue Konsa Amid Saliba Injury Concerns
Arsenal’s summer plans have taken a sharp turn towards Aston Villa, with Ezri Konsa back on the radar as doubts linger over William Saliba’s fitness.
Saliba was forced off during France’s World Cup semi-final defeat, his recent back problem flaring at the worst possible moment. The 25-year-old is still being assessed and it remains unclear whether he will need a spell on the sidelines, but the concern is real enough for Arsenal to move quickly in the market.
That’s where Konsa comes in. According to The Guardian, Arsenal have formally expressed interest in the England international, who has grown into one of the Premier League’s most reliable centre-backs at Villa. With Saliba central to Mikel Arteta’s defensive structure, any prolonged absence would leave a hole Arsenal cannot afford to ignore.
Konsa is not the only Villa player in Arsenal’s sights. The London club are also expected to table an offer for Morgan Rogers, with the attacker long viewed as a prime target. The 23-year-old’s World Cup campaign is drawing to a close, and Arsenal are said to be preparing a bid to finally test Villa’s resolve.
While those negotiations gather pace, another deal is edging towards completion. Cristos Tzolis is close to sealing his move to the Emirates, Arsenal having agreed terms with Club Brugge for the winger. The move would add further depth in wide areas as Arteta looks to arm himself for another demanding season on multiple fronts.
The market, though, rarely revolves around one club.
In Spain, Barcelona president Joan Laporta has once again underlined his desire to sign Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez, a player Arsenal also admire. Any battle for the Argentine’s signature would be fierce, with both clubs aware of the transformative impact he could have in the final third.
Back in the Premier League, Aston Villa are pushing on with their own rebuild. They are close to confirming the signing of Joao Gomes from Wolves in a deal worth around £38m, strengthening Unai Emery’s midfield options. Fabrizio Romano reports that Villa have also agreed personal terms with AC Milan left-back Pervis Estupinan, signalling further intent down the left flank.
Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, are ready to make a statement of their own. BBC Sport report that Forest are set to launch a £45m bid for Spurs midfielder Lucas Bergvall after seeing an earlier offer rejected for the Sweden international. Forest still want to bring in another midfielder alongside Bergvall, underlining just how aggressively they are moving to reshape their engine room.
Up north, Newcastle United are turning their attention to the last line of defence. The Daily Mail say the club are in talks over deals for two goalkeepers: Brighton’s Carl Rushworth and Manchester City’s James Trafford. With competition and succession planning crucial in such a specialist position, Newcastle are clearly determined not to be caught short.
From Saliba’s back twinge to Konsa’s possible arrival, from Villa’s spending to Forest’s bold bid and Newcastle’s double goalkeeping swoop, the market is moving fast. The question now is which of these clubs turn activity into advantage once the season begins.
