Arsenal are set to target England duo John Stones and Ezri Konsa after William Saliba suffered a devastating back injury during France's World Cup semi-final defeat to Spain.
Saliba, considered one of Arsenal's most important defenders, will be out for a lengthy period after avoiding the need for surgery. According to Sky Sports, the club are now actively looking at the centre-back market, with Stones and Konsa among the names being considered.
The search for a new defender makes sense, given the current depth at the back. While Arsenal have numbers, top-level sides do not build plans around wishful thinking, but rather around certainty, availability, and profile. This is where the story gets interesting, as both Stones and Konsa are credible options, capable of playing at right-back.
Stones, a free agent, is an obvious choice given his experience and tactical intelligence. Arteta knows the player well from his time at Manchester City and has never hidden his admiration. "John is a player I really like," Arteta said previously. "We followed him before we signed him when I was at City. I worked with him for many years. I know him well and when I look at centre-backs, he has many attributes that I like."
However, there is no point dressing up the downside. Stones is 32 and has a poor recent injury record, with thigh, calf, and muscular issues disrupting him. He managed only 439 Premier League minutes last season, with 547 minutes the season before. These are not minor caveats, but central facts.
Konsa, on the other hand, is a cleaner football fit. He is younger at 28, more durable, and far more likely to handle the weekly physical demands of a Premier League title race. As reported by Sky Sports, Arsenal have been exploring the cost of a potential deal for Konsa, but there is a significant gap in valuation with Aston Villa.
Villa value Konsa at £60m, which may be a prohibitive fee, depending on the rest of Arsenal's summer plans. From a tactical standpoint, however, the attraction is obvious. Konsa plays primarily as a right-sided centre-back, the same side Saliba occupies, and he can cover right-back too.
Konsa is reliable in possession, calm under pressure, and physically strong. More importantly, he stays fit, making at least 33 Premier League starts in five straight seasons. According to Opta, Konsa posted the highest ground-duel success rate of any outfield player in the Premier League last season at 73 per cent.
Source: Yahoo Sports
