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Arsenal add Villa's Konsa to defensive shortlist alongside Rogers pursuit

·By Paul Vegas
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Arsenal add Villa's Konsa to defensive shortlist alongside Rogers pursuit

Aston Villa/X.com

Arsenal's interest in Aston Villa is not limited to Morgan Rogers, with the Premier League champions having also placed centre-back Ezri Konsa on their list of defensive priorities, according to the Daily Mail.

While talks over a move for Rogers continue between the two clubs, Arsenal are reportedly preparing a separate offer for the 28-year-old defender, whose contract situation at Villa Park remains unresolved.

Konsa is under contract with Aston Villa until 2028, but has yet to reach an agreement over an extension despite discussions having already begun between the two parties.

The England international, who impressed at this summer's World Cup, is understood to remain open to different possibilities regarding his future, a stance that could give Arsenal an opening to push their interest further.

Arsenal appear ready to take advantage of the uncertainty surrounding Konsa's contract to try to convince Villa to do business, even though Unai Emery's club have publicly stated they have no intention of letting their defender leave.

The situation mirrors, in some respects, Arsenal's ongoing pursuit of Rogers, with the north London club seemingly willing to test Villa's resolve on multiple fronts simultaneously as they continue to reshape their squad for the season ahead.

Should Arsenal press ahead with a formal offer, it would represent a significant show of intent given Villa's stated reluctance to sell, and it remains to be seen whether Konsa's uncertain contract situation proves enough to tempt the club into negotiations.

For now, Villa's stance is one of resistance, but Arsenal's growing list of targets at Villa Park suggests the north London club see genuine opportunity in the uncertainty surrounding several of Villa's key players this summer.

Konsa has established himself as one of the more consistent performers in Villa's defence in recent seasons, and his versatility across the back line, capable of playing at centre-back or right-back, would give Arsenal additional squad flexibility should a deal eventually be struck.

With Aston Villa reluctant to lose two significant first-team players in the same window, the coming weeks are likely to prove decisive in determining whether Arsenal's dual pursuit develops into concrete transfer activity or whether Villa's resistance ultimately holds firm on both fronts.