Sources: Arsenal submitting new Ezri Konsa bid
Arsenal are lining up a second offer worth £40million for Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa, sources have told Football Insider.
Konsa, 28, has emerged as a top target for Arsenal this summer as Mikel Arteta looks to add more quality to his backline.
Sources say Konsa has agreed personal terms with Arsenal but the two club have yet to agree a fee.
Injury concerns for William Saliba and Jurrien Timber have accelerated Arsenal's desire to make a new addition in the coming weeks.
The Gunners saw an offer for the England centre-back worth a reported £30m turned down by Villa earlier in the window.
As I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider's Transfer Insider podcast, they are soon set to try their luck with a £40m bid that Villa are unlikely to accept.
Unai Emery does not want to lose one of his best players as they hold out for a fee closer to £60m.
Arsenal plotting new £40million Ezri Konsa bid
Konsa has been a mainstay in the Villans' defence for several seasons, with over 230 Premier League appearances to his name since joining in 2019.
His consistently impressive performances, as well as his versatility in being able to play at right-back, have made him a priority target for Arteta.
Arsenal want to snag him for a lesser fee, with his contract set to expire in 2028, but Villa will stand by their valuation in the coming weeks.
Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, I explained: “Suggestions are that they're only going to go to around £40m for Konsa, so I don't think that's going to get anywhere near getting the green light.
"Villa don't want to lose him, and if they do reluctantly sell him, it's going to be at their asking price.”
Arsenal set to agree Reiss Nelson deal with West Ham
Arteta also wants to clear out some of the fringe players who are unlikely to revive their Arsenal careers this summer.
He is set to leave the Emirates again this summer, with sources telling Football Insider that West Ham are pushing to sign Nelson to aid their Championship promotion push.
It remains unclear whether he will make a permanent move or agree another loan deal, with less than a year left on his Gunners deal.