Aston Villa's defensive personnel is undergoing significant changes. Unai Emery's team has proactively approached AC Milan to negotiate the signing of center-back Fikayo Tomori, amidst reports that key player Ezri Konsa is preparing to move to Arsenal .
Unai Emery's challenge of filling the gaps in the defense.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Aston Villa's management is accelerating the procedures to bring Fikayo Tomori back to the Premier League. The transfer fee for the England international is currently being negotiated between the two sides in the range of 10-15 million euros.
This deal benefits from several favorable factors, as Tomori has only one year left on his Serie A contract and is not part of AC Milan 's plans for the new season. The 26-year-old defender himself has also expressed his desire to return to play in England to seek the next challenge in his career.
Competitive advantage and the Ezri Konsa deal.
Before focusing all their efforts on Tomori, Aston Villa had considered several other options in the transfer market. The Villa Park club had previously submitted an £18 million offer for Taylor Harwood-Bellis, which was rejected by Southampton, and also added Chelsea 's Tosin Adarabioyo to their list of potential targets.
However, Aston Villa's experience at the highest level and their Champions League qualification gave them a clear advantage. Tomori rejected interest from several clubs, including Coventry City, and decided not to negotiate with Manchester City in order to focus on a move to Aston Villa.
Conversely, the transfer of Ezri Konsa to Arsenal has reached its final stages. Both reputable journalists David Ornstein and Fabrizio Romano have confirmed that Arsenal have reached an agreement to sign Konsa from Aston Villa for £51 million, with the deal expected to be completed soon.