Arsenal transfer news: Gunners 'unwilling' to match £60m price for William Saliba replacement despite Premier League nearing
© Iconsport / Mark Pain/Alamy Live News
Arsenal are unwilling to match Aston Villa’s asking price of £60m for centre-back Ezri Konsa, the latest report has claimed.
The Gunners will face Cesc Fabregas’s Como on Wednesday, and that match will be important preparation for the Community Shield on Sunday against Manchester City.
While debates about the stature of the trophy remain, starting the 2026-27 season in winning fashion will be important ahead of the new Premier League campaign.
However, the Londoners face the prospect of having to field a weakened defence against the likes of Erling Haaland due to injuries to William Saliba and Jurrien Timber.
Villa defender Konsa has been touted as a target, but The Guardian claim that the Gunners have no intention of meeting his £60m pricetag.
Ezri Konsa to Arsenal news: William Saliba and Jurrien Timber replacement?
Konsa is 28 and has already played 231 Premier League games, and he would almost certainly be able to step into Arsenal’s backline and immediately contribute without a long period of adaptation.
An added benefit of signing the Englishman would be that he has experience playing as both a centre-back and as a right-back, and having extra cover will be key if the Gunners hope to retain their title.
EZRI KONSA AT ASTON VILLA (2025-26 PREMIER LEAGUE) Matches: 34 Starts: 34 Goals: 0 Assists: 0 Duels Won Percentage: 67% Aerial Duels Won Percentage: 73% Ground Duels Won Percentage: 57%
The nature of the Premier League transfer market means that prices for established players in England will always entail a premium fee, and that could be an issue for buying clubs if they need to make multiple additions in one window.
Arsenal are thought to also be in the market for a marquee attacker, and if signing Konsa would put a deal for a forward at risk, it may be better to wait until Timber and Saliba recover.
Mikel Arteta’s defensive options: Ben White and Cristhian Mosquera?
The most likely duo to fill in for Timber and Saliba are Ben White and Cristhian Mosquera, though it should be noted that Piero Hincapie and Riccardo Calafiori both have experience playing in multiple positions in defence.
Saliba’s loss will be significant considering the Frenchman is an accomplished channel defender and is an excellent ball player, and there is arguably no player in the squad or on the market that could mitigate his injury.
Timber is one of the best defensive full-backs in Europe, though his limited attacking involvement has somewhat blunted the impact of Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke, so perhaps White could help Arsenal’s wingers become more threatening.
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Written by
Lewis Nolan