New Signing
Arsenal confirmed the signing of centre-back Ezri Konsa from Aston Villa last week. The 24-year-old, who has been a key player for Villa and helped the club win the Europa League, joins a squad that finished as Premier League champions last season.
Saliba’s Position
William Saliba, 25, has been a first-team regular for Arsenal since 2019 after loan spells at Saint-Étienne, Nice and Marseille. He played a key role in the Gunners’ title-winning campaign but missed the opening game of the current season after undergoing surgery for a back issue. Cristhian Mosquera started in his place, with Piero Hincapie on the bench.
Former England defender John Terry, speaking to the FC Bullard TikTok channel, warned that Saliba may not regain a place in the squad after Konsa’s arrival. “Even when William Saliba is back fit, he doesn’t get back in the Arsenal team,” Terry said. He praised Konsa as a “massive signing” and highlighted his aggression and ability to recover quickly.
Manager and Player Quotes
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said the club looks to improve by adding players who can strengthen the squad. “When I look at squads, some clubs still have incredible and much bigger squads than us. We just look to improve and do what’s right for us, and look at players we already have who can improve us. Ezri is certainly a player we really liked in the defensive line,” Arteta added.
Konsa, who has expressed willingness to play in any position the manager chooses, said: “I like to build up from the back and I like to have a lot of the ball. It’s Mikel’s style and from what I’ve seen from games, it’s the same way the defenders here play. So hopefully I can add a little bit more. It’s good being versatile. I can do both jobs, right-back and centre-back, but for me ultimately, wherever the manager wants to put me is, I’ll always do a job and do my best.”
