‘Hungry to win’ – Villa’s Konsa joins Arsenal in £55m dealImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Ezri Konsa was a key player for England at the World CupByJude Winter, BBC Sport journalist and Flora Snelson, BBC Sport journalistPublished1 hour agoEzri Konsa says he is proud to play for “one of the best teams in the world” as he completed his £55m move to Arsenal.
The 28-year-old England defender joins the Premier League champions from Aston Villa on a four-year contract, with the option to extend for a further year.
After weeks of negotiation, the clubs reached an agreement on Wednesday which could earn Villa up to an additional £4m in add-ons.
“It’s a privilege to be here and can’t wait to get started,” mentioned Konsa, who revealed he had spoken with Arsenal’s Three Lions players about joining while at the World Cup.
“I want to keep winning, I’m hungry to win and that’s what I’m here for.
“It’s a proud moment for me and my family to play for one of the best teams in the world.”
BBC Sport revealed Arsenal were in talks with Villa about signing Konsa last week, but the clubs disagreed on his valuation.
Bayer Leverkusen’s Jarrell Quansah, who represented England alongside Konsa at this summer’s World Cup, was also an option for the Gunners before a fee was finally agreed.
Arsenal’s sporting director Andrea Berta mentioned: “Ezri is a defender of high quality, whose athleticism, composure and tactical intelligence have established him as one of the Premier League’s most consistent performers.
“Being comfortable in both central defence and at right-back, Ezri will bring valuable versatility to our squad while maintaining the high defensive standards which are fundamental to our challenge of winning major trophies.”
Konsa made 286 appearances for Villa since joining in July 2019 from Brentford and helped them win the Europa League in May, the club’s first European trophy since 1982.
He scored two goals last season with one assist in 48 appearances as Unai Emery’s men secured Champions League football with a fourth-placed Premier League finish.
Konsa also played in every England game as Thomas Tuchel’s side reached the World Cup semi-finals, losing to Argentina, but then winning the Bronze medal match by beating France.
Arsenal quartet Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka were also in the squad and discussed the move with him while in North America.
Konsa revealed: “They mentioned I’ll enjoy it. I’m looking forward to training with them and playing with them.”
He was given four weeks off by Emery after the tournament and has not played in any of Villa’s pre-season games, including their 2-1 defeat by Paris St-Germain in the Uefa Super Cup.
