Arsenal assess defensive options after Saliba setback
Arsenal are assessing their defensive options after William Saliba avoided surgery on the back injury he sustained during France’s World Cup semi-final defeat to Spain. The 25-year-old is expected to face a lengthy rehabilitation period, creating uncertainty over his availability for the start of the new campaign. While the injury is not believed to require an operation, Arsenal will be mindful of managing his return carefully. Mikel Arteta’s side are therefore considering ways to strengthen their depth at centre-back and right-back.
The Gunners have already reinforced their squad by completing the permanent signing of Piero Hincapie following his loan spell from Bayer Leverkusen last season. Gabriel, Riccardo Calafiori, Cristhian Mosquera, Jurrien Timber and Ben White also provide Arteta with several central defensive options. White has returned to training after the knee injury he suffered in May, while Timber is continuing his recovery from a groin problem. Speaking this week, Timber said he is “hopefully back soon”.
Stones offers experience on a free transfer
John Stones has emerged as an attractive possibility after reaching the end of his Manchester City contract last month. The 32-year-old is available on a free transfer following a hugely successful 10-year spell at the Etihad Stadium, where he won 17 trophies, including six Premier League titles. His ability to play both at centre-back and right-back would give Arsenal added tactical flexibility. Stones also proved his fitness at the World Cup, making five appearances for England during the tournament.
Arteta knows Stones well from his time as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City. The Arsenal manager previously made clear that he rates the former Everton defender highly when the club were linked with him in 2020. “John is a player I really like,” he said. “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.”
Despite his pedigree, Stones’ recent injury record remains a significant consideration. He was restricted to 439 Premier League minutes last season because of thigh, calf and muscular issues. The previous campaign was also disrupted, with the defender featuring for only 547 league minutes. Across his 10 seasons at City, Stones never played more than 59 per cent of the available Premier League minutes.
Konsa represents a more durable target
Ezri Konsa is another player Arsenal have explored as they weigh up their options. The Aston Villa defender, who represented England alongside Stones at the World Cup, is four years younger at 28 and has two years remaining on his current contract. Konsa primarily operates as a right-sided centre-back, the same role usually filled by Saliba. He has also demonstrated that he can play at right-back when required.
Konsa’s durability makes him particularly appealing compared with Stones. He has made at least 33 Premier League starts in each of the past five seasons for Aston Villa and has no record of significant injury problems. Comfortable in possession and composed under pressure, he has developed into one of the division’s most reliable defenders. His physical strength and ability in one-on-one situations would also suit Arsenal’s high defensive line.
According to Opta, Konsa recorded the highest ground-duel success rate of any outfield player in the Premier League last season, winning 73 per cent of his contests. However, a deal would be considerably more difficult to complete than a move for Stones. Villa are understood to value Konsa at around £60m, leaving a significant gap between their valuation and Arsenal’s current assessment. With Konsa turning 29 in October, Arsenal must decide whether his consistency and long-term reliability justify the substantial financial outlay.