Arsenal Pursue Ezri Konsa Amid Aston Villa Bid for Harwood-Bellis
Aston Villa have seen an £18 million bid for Taylor Harwood-Bellis knocked back by Southampton, with the Championship club standing firm on one of their key assets as the Premier League window starts to bite.
Unai Emery’s side are bracing themselves for the departure of Ezri Konsa, who is close to sealing a £51m move, plus add-ons, to Arsenal. That looming exit has pushed Villa into the market for a new defender, and Harwood-Bellis is understood to be one of three names on their shortlist.
Villa have already tested Southampton’s resolve. So have Benfica. The Portuguese champions had an opening offer of around £17m rejected, underlining just how hard Southampton intend to play this one after winning promotion back to the top flight.
Konsa to Arsenal, and Villa’s defensive reshuffle, is only one thread in a frantic summer.
Wright fumes over Lewis-Skelly saga
Ian Wright has taken aim at his former club over the uncertainty surrounding Myles Lewis-Skelly’s future.
The highly rated teenager has been linked with a move to Manchester United this summer, despite making it clear he wants to stay at Arsenal. For Wright, the whole thing should never have been allowed to drag into a saga.
Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Wright did not hide his anger.
"I don’t know where that’s coming from because I know for a fact that’s not coming from his team," he said. "It’s not coming from his mum. Arsenal fans need to chill out with his mum saying that she’s touting him about. Myles has already said he’s happy to say. Why have Arsenal not just said he’s not for sale?
"He’d be a great signing for Manchester United, of course he would. Look what he’s doing."
The message from Wright is blunt: Arsenal should shut this down, and quickly.
New season, new rules
While clubs scramble in the market, players and coaches are also adjusting to a fresh batch of rule tweaks that will shape the Premier League campaign.
On injuries, the clock will now bite harder. If play is stopped for a player to receive treatment, that player must leave the pitch for at least one minute, up from the previous 30 seconds. It’s a clear attempt to cut down on time-wasting disguised as cramp or knocks.
Second yellow cards now fall partly under VAR’s gaze. A review can step in when a player is shown a clearly wrong second yellow card, but not for incidents where a player might have escaped a second booking. The bar is high, and the scope is narrow.
Set-pieces will feel the squeeze too. A five-second countdown will be used for throw-ins and goal-kicks. Delay beyond that, and the restart flips: the throw goes to the opposition, or a delayed goal-kick turns into a corner for the other side. Dithering will be punished.
Substitutions are also being tightened. Players have 10 seconds to leave the field once their number is up. Take too long, and the incoming substitute must wait until the next stoppage after one minute has passed. Tactical strolls off the pitch just became a lot more expensive.
Some of the eye-catching ideas trialled at the World Cup, though, will not be coming to the Premier League.
There will be no quarter-style hydration breaks unless the temperature at kick-off passes 30 degrees Celsius. VAR will not extend its reach to overrule incorrectly awarded corners, despite the obvious frustration that can cause.
The rules around mistaken identity remain strict. As seen in the Breel Embolo incident against Argentina, a yellow card can be corrected only to identify the right player, not to reassess the offence itself. Simulation calls, right or wrong, are off-limits for re-refereeing.
And despite talk elsewhere of stronger sanctions for dissent or abuse, the Premier League will continue with the existing three-step discrimination protocol inside stadiums.
Gyokeres focused on Arsenal, not Barcelona
While speculation swirls around him, Viktor Gyokeres insists his attention is locked on Arsenal.
Linked with Barcelona, the Swede brushed off talk of an exit when speaking to talkSPORT, stressing he is concentrating on the season ahead and the chance to face his former club on the opening weekend.
"I’m looking forward a lot, it’s going to be nice to start a league campaign again and to start against my old club," he said.
"It’s a great way to start at home so I’m looking forward to it. I haven’t played against them so of course it’s going to be nice to see a few of them that are still there and meet the fans as well."
For now, at least, the noise around him is staying firmly outside his own plans.
Keane unconvinced by United’s title credentials
Carlos Baleba is on his way in, but Roy Keane still isn’t buying Manchester United as title contenders.
The former United captain believes the midfield remains short of the quality needed to win the Premier League, even if the attacking threat looks strong.
"If you’re on about winning the league, I think it’s (United's midfield) short. United’s big problems are still going to be defensively," he said on Stick to Football.
"That midfield and going forward, there is a big goal threat at United, they were very good last year with it, especially when Carrick took over they were a real goal threat.
"But the issue is at the back, the full-backs and the two centre-halves are still a big issue. But on paper, they [the midfield] jump out as really good players. But is there a league-winning midfield there? Probably not. No, I don’t see it."
United might be reshaping their engine room, but in Keane’s eyes, the foundations at the back still creak.
Curtis Jones set for Inter switch
Curtis Jones is closing in on a move that would take him from Anfield to the San Siro.
Reports in Italy say the Liverpool midfielder is due to arrive in the country today for a medical with Inter Milan. Gianluca Di Marzio reports that Jones has agreed a five-year contract with the Serie A champions, who have lodged an offer in the region of £30m.
Jones is into the final year of his Liverpool deal, with no progress on an extension. Inter have sensed the opportunity, and the expectation is that he will complete the move and join Simone Inzaghi’s squad.
Barcelona step away from Alvarez chase
Barcelona’s search for attacking reinforcements has taken another twist, with the club reportedly ending their pursuit of Julian Alvarez.
Atletico’s firm stance has forced sporting director Deco to look elsewhere in his bid to replace Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres.
"We've lost two players in attack, Lewy and Ferran," Deco told ESPN. "I think we have solutions to cover Ferran with the signings we have made. Replacing Robert is much more difficult. It's really tough to replace a player like him.
"We have some internal solutions, but we have to look [what's available]. There is a lot of noise. I think there will be more movement, we are still working hard."
Barcelona now scan a market that is short on elite No 9s and long on competition.
Arsenal close in on Konsa
Back in north London, Arsenal are pushing to finalise a deal for Ezri Konsa as Mikel Arteta moves to plug a growing gap in his defence.
The Gunners want a right-sided defender, and Konsa, 28, has emerged as their preferred option. Long-term injuries to William Saliba and Jurrien Timber mean Arteta’s choices at the back are thin just as the season begins to ramp up.
Konsa’s versatility is a major attraction. Comfortable at centre-back and right-back, he fits the profile of the flexible defender Arteta values.
Talks with Aston Villa are advancing, with discussions even taking place at ownership level to bridge the gap in valuations. Arsenal are prepared to go to around £40m, while Villa rate the England international closer to £60m. Personal terms, though, are not expected to be a stumbling block.
If Arsenal get Konsa over the line and Villa land a replacement like Harwood-Bellis, this defensive merry-go-round could reshape both clubs’ seasons before a ball is properly kicked.
