Arsenal ready to land another PL superstar after breakthrough talks at the ownership level

Arsenal have made a major breakthrough in their pursuit of another blockbuster signing.

According to journalist David Ornstein, Arsenal are closing in on a deal to sign Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa.

The deal is now advancing with Villa to finalise the move after dialogue at ownership level to reduce the valuation gap for the defender.

The Gunners have been willing to pay a fee of around £40 million for the experienced centre-back but Villa were holding firm at approximately £60m.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been pushing for Konsa after William Saliba suffered a back injury during the FIFA World Cup.

The French defender does not require surgery, but he is still expected to spend a significant period on the sidelines.

The Premier League champions also held an interest in Bayer Leverkusen defender Jarell Quansah but the German club made it clear that he was not available.

The Gunners also explored signing former Tottenham Hotspur captain Cristian Romero before the Argentine completed his move to Atletico Madrid.

Konsa has been a key figure at Villa, making 287 appearances during his seven-year spell at the club. He still has two years remaining on his current contract.

He made 48 appearances across all competitions last season as the Midlands outfit won the UEFA Europa League.

The 28-year-old is predominantly a centre-back but can also operate as a right-back if needed. 

Following the recent arrival of experienced midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, Arsenal are assembling a formidable squad that could dominate English football for the next four to five years.

Stats from Fotmob.com

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