Arsenal set to sign England star for reduced fee after Mikel Arteta transfer plea
Arsenal are on the brink of sealing another transfer (Picture: Getty) Visionhaus/Getty Images) Arsenal are poised to sign Ezri Konsa from Aston Villa after a dramatic breakthrough in transfer talks. The Premier League champions are desperate to make reinforcements at the back with Jurrien Timber and William Saliba set to miss the start of the season through injury. Mikel Arteta has been eager to recruit a defender capable of offering cover at both right-back and centre-half with Konsa emerging as their top target. Arsenal have also explored a move for another England international in Bayer Leverkusen’s Jarell Quansah. Exclusive Premier League previews Get ahead of the start of the season with our weekly football newsletter. Sign up now for free. Having already lost Morgan Rogers to Chelsea, Villa were determined to hold onto their defender and were thought to be asking for £60million for the 28-year-old. Arsenal saw an opening offer believed to be worth £30m rejected earlier this month. But The Athletic reports Arsenal are now closing in on a deal after positive talks at ‘ownership level’ to reduce the valuation gap. Arsenal have strengthened in midfield and attack with the signings of Bruno Guimareas and Christos Tzolis. Arsenal closing in on the England star (Picture: Bradley Collyer/PA Wire) Speaking after Sunday’s Community Shield win over Manchester City, Arteta underlined the need to strengthen at the back with key figures still sidelined. Asked whether his focus was now on defensive reinforcements after the arrival of Guimareas, Arteta said: ‘We know there are certain areas that through injuries we are weaker and we need to strengthen.‘We’re trying to do that and we’ve been trying to do that for weeks. Only when the opportunity is right for the club will we do it.’ Arsenal begin the defence of their Premier League title against newly-promoted Coventry City on Friday. Timber still recovering from a groin issue (Picture: Arsenal FC via Getty Images) Arteta will be without half of his first-choice back four with Timber and Saliba still sidelined. Timber has not started a game since March due to a groin injury, undergoing minor surgery last month. Arteta has spoken positively of he Netherlands international progress but he is still working his way back to full fitness behind the scenes. Saliba meanwhile is expected to miss the opening months of the campaign as a result of a back injury which flared up during the World Cup. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
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