Liverpool Eye Ezri Konsa Move as Aston Villa Defender Emerges as Defensive Solution

The defensive issues at Liverpool at the moment are huge, with the club only having one fully fit and match-ready defender available as of right now, and that is 35-year-old Virgil Van Dijk. 

This is due to a multitude of reasons, ranging from Ibrahima Konate's departure upon the expiration of his Liverpool contract at the end of last season to the fact that Joe Gomez is injured and is well documented as being a defender with top-level ability, but LFC can't rely on his fitness through a full season.

Furthermore, young defensive duo Giovanni Leoni and Jeremy Jacquet are both recovering from injuries already, with the latter of those in Jacquet closing in on a return but is completely unproven in the Premier League and has yet to make an appearance for the Reds in any pre-season game. 

So, due to these clear defensive shortages at Liverpool, the club has been linked with defenders such as Fikayo Tomori in recent weeks as players who could come in and help cure a few headaches for Andoni Iraola; however, the most recent link is one that should catch the attention of all LFC fans.

How Good Is Ezri Konsa?

Ezri Konsa is a defender who for many years has flown completely under the radar of many people's opinions when they are talking about the best defenders in the world.

Konsa has been at his current club, Aston Villa, for seven years, and he has been a consistent performer since the moment he signed for the club for just €13.3 million (£12 million) in 2019. 

Quick, aerially strong, and with the ability to play both centre-back and right-back, he has been ever-present in Aston Villa's backline as they have risen through the Premier League with Unai Emery at the helm. 

Last season alone, Konsa played 48 games in all competitions for Villa, helping the club win the Europa League and showing he is capable of staying fit for long periods of time.

His performances last season also earned him a call-up to Thomas Tuchel's England squad for the World Cup. 

Konsa would go on to feature in every single one of England's games and played a big part in England securing a 3rd-place finish in the tournament, their best result since winning the tournament in 1966.

LIverpool Look Into A Deal For Konsa Amid Arsenal Interest

So it is no wonder that clubs from around Europe are keen to sign Konsa this summer, and it had appeared as if Arsenal were the standalone frontrunners to try and land the versatile England international this summer, following the injury to William Saliba.

However, it has been reported that Liverpool also holds an interest in Konsa and may rival Arsenal for his signature.

The fee needed to secure Konsa, who has two years left on his current Aston Villa contract, would be in the region of £60 million, a fee that both Arsenal and Liverpool are reportedly wary of meeting for a player with only 24 months left on their contract.

However, David Lynch has reported that Liverpool haven't ruled out signing a right-sided centre-back who can also cover at right-back, towards the end of this transfer window. 

So if that is true, Ezri Konsa would be a perfect fit for that role and would add much-needed versatility, reliability, and Premier League-proven experience that Andoni Iraola's squad so desperately needs at the moment.