With a rising have to bolster their defensive choices forward of the brand new season, Arsenal wasted little time securing a deal for long-term goal Ezri Konsa. However who’s the England worldwide, what is going to he carry to the aspect and why is he costing £51 million?
Phil Costa studies
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We’re usually responsible of lacking what’s proper in entrance of us, however William Saliba is well the most effective play-making centre backs in world soccer and his evolution as the important thing man throughout construct up kick-started our rise beneath Mikel Arteta. When he’s not there – we really feel that absence – which is why signing Konsa makes good sense.
Our eyes could be drawn to Pau Torres because the ball-playing Villa defender, whose languid, elegant type suits the profile extra naturally; however Konsa is definitely the excellent centre again in possession. The 28-year-old had the best go accuracy within the Premier League final season (95.5%) and topped that very same metric in the course of the World Cup (97%), highlighting his capability to welcome the ball in deeper areas and dictate play. He additionally led the highest flight for go completion beneath excessive depth strain (92.5%) which reveals that you would be able to give him the ball each time, wherever and he tends to discover a manner out.
There’s actual selection in his distribution as a result of he can do the easy stuff, the passes out to his proper again and little exchanges along with his quantity six, however you then dig into the footage and there’s a critical participant right here. He likes to stride out of defence and carry the ball, there are delicate clipped balls in behind the opposition left again and even raking diagonals to modify play or discover strikers working by on aim.
Konsa has some good selection in possession/construct up ✍️
— Phil Costa (@philcosta.bsky.social) 2026-08-22T06:39:32.660Z
I discovered – and was left actually impressed by – one particular clip in opposition to Manchester Metropolis the place he was performed into bother by his goalkeeper, however regardless of the suffocating press which pressured him and three teammates in the direction of the nook flag, he performed a collection of one-touch passes and later Cruyff-turned away from hazard to maintain possession and kickstart a Villa transition. Nothing got here of the transfer however the way in which he navigated that anxious state of affairs with a cigar in hand confirmed actual footballing capability.
Cristhian Mosquera made a giant impression final season but when we’re searching for a seamless, extra analogous Saliba substitute, Konsa feels extra suited to that function than the Spaniard whose ball-playing is barely extra secure.
However we’re signing a defender – so can he defend? Effectively it wouldn’t be a Mikel Arteta signing with out some elite duel successful numbers. Neither the tallest nor broadest, Konsa had the very best floor duel success charge of any Premier League participant final season (73%), forward of nearest challengers Virgil van Dijk (70%) and Gabriel (69.9%) which is wholesome firm. In reality, since his Premier League debut, solely Van Dijk (73%) has averaged a better duel success charge within the competitors than the defender (68%) which reveals he likes a problem and may deal with himself in opposition to elite attackers.
A part of his attraction is that he feels comfy at proper again, and you may see within the areas he occupies there’s loads of channel defending concerned. Villa play a really excessive line beneath Unai Emery anyway, which implies Konsa is left alone – and in house – in opposition to a number of the quickest forwards however you may see his athletic potential in these conditions, the place he makes use of his physique (and spectacular restoration pace) to chop off angles. He’s somebody who might be the aggressor, the “in your shorts” man, but in addition extra affected person relying on the state of affairs.
The 28-year-old isn’t a significant aerial pressure however reads the sport nicely and finds himself in good positions to clear crosses, though I would really like extra distance on these clearances typically. They really feel a bit “youth soccer” in that you simply’re heading the ball nevertheless it’s extra out of obligation – getting your head in the way in which versus attacking the deliveries – though he did crop up with three set piece targets final season.
Extra importantly – and there’s no manner this may come again to chunk me – availability is a key theme right here. Since becoming a member of Villa in 2019, solely seven gamers have made extra Premier League appearances than Konsa (231) and his longest harm absence was lacking 4 video games in 2024 attributable to a knee downside. Based on Opta, his lowest matchday squad availability (83%) got here within the 2021/22 season and that was primarily attributable to suspension after receiving two pink playing cards, versus something injury-related. The large “availability is your greatest capability” lettering at London Colney Sobha Realty definitely applies to him.
With out copying and pasting the very same paragraph from my Bruno Guimaraes profile, I perceive the reservations over value. Konsa is pricey for a 28-year-old defender however should you’re searching for parallels available in the market, Jan Paul van Hecke joined Tottenham for £52m and Chelsea signed Maxence Lacroix for £51m. Similar to Noni Madueke, Mohammed Kudus, Anthony Elanga and Jamie Gittens went for related cash final season, these charges have set the centre again market this summer time. I believe – rightly or wrongly – our brains have a tough time adjusting to inflation and we don’t know what constitutes worth anymore, particularly relating to offers between Premier League golf equipment.
However this can be a needed and vital signing. I don’t purchase the narrative that Arsenal are including one other central defender to their assortment of seven central defenders already on the membership, as a result of we don’t use Jurrien Timber, Ben White, Riccardo Calafiori or Piero Hincapie as centre backs. May the membership have signed a extra pure proper again and relied on Mosquera, with White shifting inside? Most likely, but when we’re critical about competing on all 4 fronts once more – putting that burden on a younger participant – and counting on one other with a questionable harm document (plus Timber) doesn’t appear optimum when your window for successful has by no means been larger. Konsa’s homegrown standing was additionally a key issue for a squad at its limits by way of the non-homegrown contingent.
Others have made the comparability, however this deal (and the Bruno one earlier than it) feels very Sir Alex Ferguson. You’re on the prime, you need to keep on the prime, so go and cherry-pick the very best gamers within the league whereas weakening these round you. It’s clear that Arsenal are viewing recruitment in a different way, with Konsa the eleventh participant aged 26 or over to affix within the final three seasons. Within the three seasons prior, Arsenal signed solely 4 gamers aged 26 or over.
Konsa is skilled, out there, versatile and able to slot into this again 4 immediately. His numbers are nice, he is aware of the group and was clearly a long-term goal for the membership and our new sporting director Bukayo Saka. He boosts our homegrown quota and seems like the best age to offer us his peak years, with out blocking any potential pathways for Marli Salmon (who continues to be a toddler in defensive phrases) or Mosquera who’s simply as succesful at left centre again. The one mark on his rap sheet is that he grew up a Sp*rs fan, though his Arsenal conversion remedy shouldn’t take lengthy to kick in.
Squad constructing isn’t solely about bettering what you may have. It’s additionally about defending what you have already got in order that while you’re within the trenches come Might, you’re greatest positioned to recover from the road. Arteta is aware of from expertise that when Saliba and his again are involved, cowl is essential if you wish to keep away from some harsh Konsa-quences.
