Aston Villa have identified Chelsea centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo as a possible replacement for Ezri Konsa after agreeing to sell the England defender to Arsenal.
Villa are assessing several defensive options following the breakthrough in negotiations that will see Konsa move to the Emirates Stadium in a £51 million deal. Sky Sports News reports that Tosin is among the players under consideration as Unai Emery plans for life without one of his most experienced defenders.
Konsa’s departure leaves a significant vacancy in Villa’s back line. The 28-year-old has been a key figure at Villa Park since arriving from Brentford in 2019, but Arsenal have now succeeded in their summer-long pursuit after Villa initially valued him at around £60m.
Attention at Villa has therefore quickly shifted towards finding a replacement, and Tosin presents an intriguing option.
Chelsea are now prepared to listen to offers for the 28-year-old, potentially giving Villa an opportunity to keep their replacement search within the Premier League. Tosin joined Chelsea on a free transfer from Fulham in 2024.
The former Manchester City academy defender has also attracted considerable interest elsewhere in Europe.
Marseille have made initial contact with Chelsea about a potential transfer, while Benfica are also exploring a move. Sevilla have additionally been linked with the defender, creating the possibility of competition if Villa decide to turn their interest into a formal offer.
Tosin had been involved under Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso during pre-season but was absent from the squad for last weekend’s game against Real Sociedad. Chelsea have a number of centre-back options and are looking to reduce the size of their squad before the transfer window closes.
Villa’s search has become more pressing following Arsenal’s agreement for Konsa.
The England international has two years remaining on his Villa contract, but Arsenal eventually found a compromise after initially refusing to meet the Midlands club’s valuation. His ability to play both centre-back and right-back was a major factor behind Mikel Arteta’s interest.
Konsa has been central to Villa’s progress under Emery and made 286 appearances for the club after joining in 2019. He was also part of the Villa side that won the Europa League last season.
Replacing that experience will be an important task for Villa, particularly as they prepare for another demanding campaign.
Tosin would offer extensive English football experience, having represented Fulham and Chelsea in the Premier League after coming through Manchester City’s academy.
No agreement has been reached and Villa’s interest remains at an exploratory stage, with Tosin one of several candidates being considered.
But with Chelsea willing to entertain offers and Konsa heading towards Arsenal, the 28-year-old has emerged as a name to watch as Villa accelerate their search for a new central defender.
