Arsenal has finalized the signing of England defender Ezri Konsa from Aston Villa for a fee of £55 million. The 28-year-old defender has signed a four-year contract with the option for an additional year.
Weeks of negotiations preceded the agreement, which could see Aston Villa receive an additional £4 million in add-ons. Konsa expressed his pride in joining Arsenal, calling it "one of the best teams in the world" and stated his eagerness to "keep winning."
Konsa made 286 appearances for Aston Villa after joining from Brentford in July 2019. He was part of the squad that won the Europa League in May, the club's first major trophy since 1982. Last season, he contributed two goals and one assist in 48 appearances, helping Aston Villa secure Champions League qualification with a fourth-place Premier League finish.
Arsenal's sporting director, Andrea Berta, described Konsa as a "defender of high quality" whose "athleticism, composure and tactical intelligence have established him as one of the Premier League's most consistent performers." Berta also noted Konsa's versatility, being comfortable in both central defense and at right-back, which will add depth to Arsenal's squad.
Konsa had been on an extended break after representing England in the World Cup semi-finals and had not participated in Aston Villa's pre-season matches. The transfer comes after earlier reports indicated that Arsenal and Aston Villa had disagreed on Konsa's valuation during initial talks.