One game is all it could take for Ezri Konsa to vindicate Arsenal's big decision

Ezri Konsa is set to make his first Arsenal start in their London derby clash with rivals Chelsea on Sunday and he will be looking to make a statement from defence.

The defender joined the Gunners from fellow Premier League side Aston Villa as their last signing of the summer, signing for a reported fee in the region of £51million, but while he is an option that brings plenty of experience, he certainly has a point to prove in the famous red and white.

His arrival was deemed by many to be unneccesary with Mikel Arteta having other defensive choices he can rely on in William Saliba's absence, but if Konsa does indeed start against Chelsea, that game is all it could take to vindicate his new side's big decision.

On paper, Konsa looked like a brilliant signing to bolster Arsenal's defence even further past its already outstanding abilities and depth, especially in the absence of Saliba, but plenty of fans considered him to be an unneeded addition.

The Gunners didn't lose any of their defence from last season, retaining the likes of Cristhian Mosquera, Ben White and Piero Hincapié, who all filled in for their senior counterparts throughout the previous term. An argument could be made for losing Christian Nørgaard, who covered in the backline during his sole campaign at the club, but in terms of natural defenders, it stayed the same for Arteta's side.

With that said, signing another defensive option didn't feel like an absolute priority, but Andrea Berta led the charge for a verstaile signing and Konsa was the ideal candidate, eventually confirming his move from Villa Park on 21 August.

His arrival saw him deemed by many to be added cover on the right side of the central pairing while his versatility also provided him the ability to fill in at full back if needed. Mosquera and White both did that pretty well last season so Konsa's signing seemed to have put them both in jeopardy of playing regular minutes.

In his debut season, Mosquera showed his potential as a talented young defender, rarely putting a foot wrong as he stood in for Jurrien Timber, Saliba and Gabriel, making 35 appearances all competitions, and claiming a Premier League winners' medal through playing 20 times in the league.

This campaign was seen as a perfect opportunity for him to kick on and with Saliba facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines, his Spanish counterpart faced a long run in the team that could change him from being a mere backup option to a genuine candidate for a starting candidate.

Konsa now stands in the way of that though. Mosquera started his side's first two games due to the England international's lack of fitness, but his withdrawal (even as a precaution) against Villa has presented Konsa with the chance to start.

While that is bad luck for the Spaniard, Konsa is now faced with the opportunity to vindicate his side's big decision to bring him to the club. £51m was a lot to spend on a defender who is likely to be a backup option once Saliba returns, but it may have actually been an investment.

The Englishman could take this chance to perform well alongside Gabriel and secure the starting spot over Mosquera, who is still learning the trade as a young defender, but also potentially begin a run of form that could make it difficult for even Saliba to displace him.

Faced with a rampant Chelsea attack, Konsa is far better equipped to deal with the likes of Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers than Mosquera would be. He knows the Premier League and how these players operate so has a much better chance of keeping them quiet than the Spaniard does.

Konsa knows he can't put a foot wrong against the Blues if he wants to keep Arsenal fans on his side, but if he does perform well, he will prove the Gunners' decision to sign him to have been the right one and he could also make a case to be the long-term first choice on the right side of the central pair.

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations