Arsenal are reportedly in advanced talks to sign Ezri Konsa from Aston Villa, leaving Victor Lindelof as the only natural right sided centre back at the club.
According to the Athletic's David Ornstein, the Aston Villa centre back is nearing a move to Premier League champions Arsenal wth owner to owner talks reportedly closing the gap in valuations.
It had previously been stated that there was a £20m difference between the two sides, though that now appears to have been bridged - with the fee yet to be confirmed by any journalist.
Konsa, one of three players to have been given extended time off after the World Cup - alongside Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Martinez - with all three nearing an exit if current reports are true.
With Lindelof a solid option in the interim period, Aston Villa will have less pressure in sourcing a replacement immediately, but - given Konsa's experience and importance to the side - the choice of replacement is vital.
With all that said, we take a look at five players who could potentially replace the defender at Villa Park.
Joel Ordóñez
One of the players most heavily mentioned so far is Club Brugge centre back Joel Ordóñez.
The 22-year-old is extremely highly rated in European football, since is €1.5m move to Belgium back in 2023.
An Ecuador international, Ordóñez has already featured against Aston Villa on numerous occasions, having played them three times within his 22 UEFA Champions League appearances.
Unai Emery has a history of signing players who have performed well against his sides, with summer signing Johan Manzambi the latest example, making Joel Ordóñez a serious contender to replace the England international.
His age profile also fits Villa's current strategy this summer, whilst Sweden international Victor Lindelof is a stable pair of hands to help give the Ecuadorian the appropriate time to adapt to English football and Emery's tactically demanding system.
Ben White
Having already done a deal with Chelsea for Alejandro Garnacho and Morgan Rogers, could Aston Villa do the same with Arsenal?
Any deal would need to be another loan with a 'conditional obligation to buy' as per Garnacho - due to UEFA regulations around swap deals - but Ben White would be a good addition to Aston Villa's squad.
At 28, White is in the prime of his career and, despite dealing with injury issues of late, is an exceptional ball playing defender, who would be more than astute enough to cover at centre back.
Asking price and wages may be an issue for the deal, as could a potential unwillingness from Arsenal to do the Villans a favour, but - should they pull it off - Ben White could be an ideal replacement for the experience of Ezri Konsa.
Lloyd Kelly
Having been linked to Aston Villa in the past, Lloyd Kelly could be a cheaper option to replace Konsa.
The 27-year-old, currently at Juventus, has bags of Premier League experience following stints at Bournemouth and Newcastle, and has rediscovered himself in Italy.
Unai Emery has a storied history of rehabilitating 'underperforming' footballers and would likely revel at the prospect of working with a player like Kelly.
Juventus would likely be looking for some return on their €17m investment, though any fee would be unlikely to be too high for Villa to stomach.
Jarrell Quansah
Despite Bayer Leverkusen's insistance that he is not for sale, Jarrell Quansah could be a shrewd replacement for Ezri Konsa.
The England international, who was sent off in the World Cup 2026 round of 16, had reportedly been Arsenal's alternative to Konsa, but the Gunners are now closing in on the Villa man.
At 23, Quansah has already had significant top level experience both in the Premier League and the Bundesliga, offering strong leadership despite his relatively young age.
With a potential war chest from sales at their disposal, Aston Villa could test Leverkusen's resolve to bring in the highly rated defender.
Illia Zabarnyi
A left field shout, out-of-favour Paris Saint-Germain defender Illia Zabarnyi could be a wildcard option for Aston Villa this summer.
Having impressed at Bournemouth, Zabarnyi earned himself a €63m move to the UEFA Champions League winners last summer, but only made 38 appearances across all competitions last season.
Lauded for his ball playing prowess and physicality at the Cherries, Zabarnyi would still be a great option for most clubs and would slot straight into Villa's system seamlessly.
It remains to be seen whether or not PSG would sell the 22-year-old so quickly, however - should the Villans offer c. £50m - there's every chance that they could secure a top replacement for their defensive leader.
