Arsenal push for Konsa after Villa reject opening €35m bid

Arsenal have intensified their pursuit of Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa after seeing their first proposal dismissed, according to BBC Sport journalist Sami Mokbel. The Gunners submitted an opening bid of around €35 million (£30 million) earlier in the summer, but Villa immediately rejected the offer, deeming it far below their £60 million valuation of the England international. Arsenal now accept that a significantly higher bid will be required to bring Konsa to the Emirates, though it remains uncertain whether Villa would entertain negotiations at a lower figure.

The Birmingham club are under no pressure to sell and continue to view Konsa as a key part of their project, leaving a substantial gap between the two sides’ positions. While Arsenal’s interest remains strong, the next steps will depend on whether they are willing to escalate their offer enough to test Villa’s resolve in the coming weeks.