Arsenal have accomplished the £55m deal to signal defender Ezri Konsa from Aston Villa.
“It is a proud second for me and my household to play for probably the greatest groups on the planet,” Konsa mentioned after Arsenal introduced the transfer.
“I wish to hold profitable, hungry to win and that is what I am right here for. I am right here to win. I will do every little thing in my energy to proceed bringing success to this membership.”
The England worldwide has signed a four-year contract with the choice of a further 12 months after passing his medical. He joins for a hard and fast price of £51m with a possible £4m in add-ons.
The 28-year-old might now make his Arsenal debut in opposition to his outdated membership at Villa Park within the Monday Evening Soccer on August 31, dwell on Sky Sports activities.
Monday thirty first August 6:30pm
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Konsa has turn into Arsenal’s fifth main summer season signing after Piero Hincapie joined completely from Bayer Leverkusen and the arrivals of Illan Meslier, Christos Tzolis and Bruno Guimaraes.
Konsa’s arrival comes after the Premier League champions had been on the lookout for a brand new defender with William Saliba out for an prolonged time period, whereas Jurrien Timber stays sidelined with a long-term groin drawback.
Villa had initially held out for £60m, with Arsenal hoping to pay a lot much less, however the two golf equipment discovered a compromise on Thursday to strike a deal for the previous Brentford defender.
Arsenal additionally regarded into a possible transfer for Bayer Leverkusen’s Jarell Quansah however have chosen to signal his England team-mate Konsa. Each gamers have the same profile and might play at right-back and centre-back.
Arsenal have accomplished a deal for Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa
Konsa: I like defending!
Arteta joins a bunch of Arsenal defenders together with Saliba, Timber, Gabriel, Ben White, Riccardo Calafiori, Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera.
Requested what he’ll deliver to Mikel Arteta’s “Defending. I do know he loves defenders who can actually defend and defenders who’re calm on the ball. His fashion fits me so I can not wait to get going.
In the meantime, Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta, mentioned: “Ezri is a defender of top quality, whose athleticism, composure and tactical intelligence have established him as one of many Premier League’s most constant performers.
“Being snug in each central defence and at right-back, Ezri will deliver worthwhile versatility to our squad whereas sustaining the excessive defensive requirements that are elementary to our problem of profitable main trophies.
“We’re welcoming a participant with confirmed Premier League and worldwide expertise, and powerful management qualities, who will adapt seamlessly to our fashion of play.
“Simply as importantly, we’re welcoming a participant with the character and mentality to make a right away affect inside our membership. We welcome Ezri and his household to Arsenal.”
Evaluation: Konsa is an ideal Arteta participant – here is why
Sky Sports activities’ Sam Blitz:
If there’s one factor you might want to learn about Mikel Arteta, it is that he loves gamers that win duels. No one was higher at it than Ezri Konsa final season.
He received extra duels on the bottom than some other Premier League participant final season – ending fairly far forward of his nearest challengers Virgil van Dijk and Gabriel – his new team-mate.
With each Saliba and Timber out injured, Arsenal had been in want of a participant who can cowl each right-back and centre-back roles.
The Gunners do have Cristhian Mosquera and Ben White as cowl in these roles – and each carried out nicely within the Neighborhood Defend win over Manchester Metropolis – however the latter has a prolonged damage report over the past two seasons.
Arsenal additionally noticed the significance of getting good depth at right-back when Mosquera was compelled to start out the Champions League closing with PSG out of place – with the younger Spaniard conceding a penalty.
Now a transfer for Konsa has been accomplished, Arsenal have stuffed an vital a part of their crew – and can be very near finishing their switch window from an incomings perspective.
Can they discover the ahead participant they’ve been on the lookout for?