Aston Villa are reportedly braced for Arsenal to return with a fresh offer for Ezri Konsa as the club continue attempts to secure the England defender on a new contract.
Arsenal have pursued Konsa throughout the summer as Mikel Arteta looks to strengthen his defensive options ahead of their Premier League title defence.
Villa have resisted that interest so far and previously considered Arsenal’s position well below their valuation of one of Unai Emery’s most important players.
Tom Collomosse now reports that Villa expect the Gunners to make another attempt to sign the 28-year-old.
At the same time, Villa are trying to convince Konsa to extend his stay at Villa Park.
Ezri Konsa contract talks become increasingly important
Konsa’s existing deal runs until 2028, so Villa are under no immediate contractual pressure to sanction a sale.
However, the prospect of Arsenal returning with an improved offer places greater importance on reaching fresh terms with the defender.
Previous reporting on Arsenal’s pursuit indicated there was a significant difference between the clubs’ valuations, while also making clear that a new Villa contract remained possible.
Konsa has established himself as one of Emery’s most dependable players and further enhanced his reputation by starting throughout England’s World Cup campaign.
Villa have already lost several important players this summer and appear determined not to sanction further departures cheaply.
That stance has been evident elsewhere. ReadAstonVilla reported on Tuesday that Villa refused to lower their valuation of Emi Martinez, eventually leading Juventus to abandon their pursuit of the goalkeeper.
Arsenal must therefore decide how aggressively they are prepared to test Villa’s resolve.
For Villa, agreeing a new contract with Konsa would provide the clearest possible answer.
