Arsenal refocus on Konsa deal with Villa

Arsenal are stepping up their pursuit of Ezri Konsa. According to BBC Sport, the Gunners are accelerating negotiations with Aston Villa to secure the English international defender, with sources indicating optimism that a deal is achievable.

Konsa is Arsenal's top defensive target, but the Premier League champions have so far failed to meet Villa's £60m valuation. BBC Sport revealed last week that Arsenal had reopened talks, though no agreement had been reached at that stage.

The Gunners then appeared to shift focus to Bayer Leverkusen's Jarrell Quansah. However, they have now refocused their efforts on Konsa, with a growing sense that this time the deal will go through. The defender, who was instrumental in Villa's Europa League triumph, has also been a key player for England in recent competitions.