Arsenal preparing first bid for Aston Villa defender

Arsenal are preparing an opening bid to sign Aston Villa defender Ezri Konsa this summer, according to The Daily Mail.

The Gunners recently suffered a massive setback with William Saliba picking up a back injury on World Cup duty with France.

Saliba was already nursing a minor back issue, and the latest setback has led to suggestions that he may require minor surgery.

This could keep him out of action for the next few months and Arsenal seem to be preparing for it with a possible acquisition.

Konsa has been identified as a top target for manager Mikel Arteta and the club are speeding up the process of signing him.

At the moment, there is a drastic gap in the valuation between the clubs with Arsenal reluctant to meet the £60m price tag.

However, things could change in the coming weeks if Konsa does not accept a contract extension beyond June 2028 at Villa.

This could urge them to sell him for a discounted figure.