Arsenal have held fresh discussions over a move for Aston Villa central defender Ezri Konsa, with the Gunners looking to strengthen their backline.
The Premier League champions have signalled an intention to improve on their opening proposal, which was understood to be around £30m for the England international.
However, a significant gap remains between the two clubs, with Villa holding firm on their £60m valuation of the 28-year-old.
Aston Villa are showing no inclination, as things stand, to accept anything below their asking price for the defender.
Konsa is understood to be Mikel Arteta’s preferred defensive target as Arsenal look to bolster their options at the back this summer.
The Gunners have already made a significant move in midfield, having secured the signing of Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United earlier in the window.
With that deal done, Arsenal have now turned their full attention to defence, and they view Konsa’s versatility as a particularly attractive quality.
The defender is currently still on holiday following England’s involvement in the World Cup, meaning any personal talks are yet to take place.
Multiple sources had told BBC Sport that Arsenal also held exploratory talks with Tottenham over a potential move for their club captain Cristian Romero before Spurs agreed a fee with Atletico Madrid.
Konsa enjoyed a strong 2025-26 campaign, making 48 appearances in all competitions for Aston Villa as the club claimed Europa League glory.
The substantial gap between Arsenal’s current bid and Villa’s asking price means negotiations are likely to be protracted before any agreement can be reached.
Arsenal will need to significantly increase their offer if they are to have any hope of convincing Villa to part with one of their most important defensive assets.
