Sources: Arsenal in hunt to sign Ezri Konsa as Steven Gerrard instructs agent to take calls
Arsenal are in the hunt to sign Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa this summer, Football Insider has learned.
The Londoners have already been linked with Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz and are also targeting forward Ollie Watkins.
A recruitment source has told Football Insider that Arsenal are also tracking Konsa as they look to recruit another senior centre-back.
The 24-year-old's future at the club is now up in the air going into the final weeks of the season.
The source explained that Villa boss Steven Gerrard has told Konza's agent that he is willing to listen to offers for the defender.
That will provide some encouragement to Arsenal and other suitors of the former Brentford man.
This site revealed last month (21 February) that the Midlands giants have made Liverpool defender Joe Gomez their "number one priority" ahead of the main window this year.
Gerrard is set to be backed to the hilt by ambitious owners Wes Edens and Naseef Sawiris in this summer's market.
It is expected that Villa will spend more than £150million on new signings, with the emphasis on star quality.
Gerrard is not convinced by the reliability and consistency of Konsa despite him being a mainstay of the starting XI.
The manager wanted a new centre-back in January but Liverpool were not willing to sell or loan top target Gomez.
Villa decided to hold off until the summer on spending big on a defender and instead recruited Calum Chambers on a free from Arsenal to replace Axel Tuanzebe following the termination of his Man United loan.
Money will be set aside to strengthen a back line that has conceded 42 goals from 30 Premier League matches this season.
Konsa and Tyrone Mings have been the established central defensive pair for Villa during most of their three seasons back in the Premier League.
Konsa has made 24 Premier League starts among 26 appearances in all competitions for Villa this season.