Arsenal's Pursuit of Ezri Konsa and Transfer Updates

Aston Villa have seen an £18 million bid for Taylor Harwood-Bellis knocked back by Southampton, with the Championship club standing firm over one of their key assets.

Unai Emery wants defensive reinforcements as Villa brace for the departure of Ezri Konsa, who is close to completing a £51m move, plus add-ons, to Arsenal. Harwood-Bellis is one of three names on Villa’s shortlist and the club have now tested Southampton’s resolve with a formal offer.

Southampton said no. So did the market.

Benfica also tried their luck, tabling an opening bid of around £17m, only to receive the same response. With multiple clubs circling, Southampton are in no rush to cash in and know they hold the leverage.

Arsenal turmoil over Myles Lewis-Skelly

While Arsenal push hard to land Konsa, they are facing a storm of their own over one of their brightest academy products.

Myles Lewis-Skelly has been linked with a move to Manchester United this summer, despite making it clear he wants to stay at Arsenal. The noise around his future has infuriated club legend Ian Wright, who believes the situation should never have been allowed to escalate.

Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Wright launched a fierce defence of the teenager and his family.

“I don’t know where that’s coming from because I know for a fact that’s not coming from his team,” he said. “It’s not coming from his mum. Arsenal fans need to chill out with his mum saying that she’s touting him about. Myles has already said he’s happy to say. Why have Arsenal not just said he’s not for sale?

“He’d be a great signing for Manchester United, of course he would. Look what he’s doing.”

For Wright, the frustration is simple: Arsenal should shut the door on any exit talk and protect one of their own.

New season, new rules

As transfer sagas dominate the headlines, a raft of law tweaks will quietly reshape matchdays in the Premier League.

Injured players now face a stricter protocol. If play is stopped for treatment, the player must leave the pitch for at least one minute, up from the previous 30 seconds. The aim is clear: cut down on time-wasting and keep the game moving.

VAR will also have a slightly broader role when it comes to discipline. Second yellow cards can now be reviewed, but only when a clearly wrong second booking has been shown. It cannot be used to retrospectively punish players who might have escaped a second caution.

Set-pieces are getting a time limit. A five-second countdown will be used for throw-ins and goal-kicks. If a team drags its heels and exceeds that window, the restart can be reversed – a throw-in awarded to the opposition, or a corner given if a goal-kick is delayed.

Substitutions will be sharper too. Players have 10 seconds to leave the field when being replaced. Take longer, and the incoming substitute must wait until the next stoppage in play, after at least a minute has passed.

Some of the innovations seen at the World Cup, though, will not be carried over.

Matches will not be split into quarters. Hydration breaks will only be permitted if the temperature at kick-off exceeds 30 degrees Celsius. VAR will not gain extra powers to overturn incorrectly awarded corners, despite the clear benefit of TV replays.

The controversial use of mistaken identity in diving incidents remains tightly defined. A yellow card can be reviewed only to correct who committed the offence, not to reassess whether the offence itself took place. The incident involving Switzerland’s Breel Embolo against Argentina, when he was sent off for simulation after a second yellow, was a misinterpretation of the IFAB rule.

There will also be no red cards for players covering their mouths when speaking, with the existing three-step discrimination protocol inside stadiums remaining in place for player-reported abuse.

Gyokeres focused amid Arsenal links

Away from the law book, one striker at the centre of speculation insists his mind is clear.

Viktor Gyokeres has been heavily linked with Arsenal and even mentioned alongside Barcelona, but the Swede insists he is not thinking about leaving and is fully focused on the campaign ahead.

Speaking to talkSPORT, he said: “I’m looking forward a lot, it’s going to be nice to start a league campaign again and to start against my old club.

“It’s a great way to start at home so I’m looking forward to it. I haven’t played against them so of course it’s going to be nice to see a few of them that are still there and meet the fans as well.”

No transfer talk. Just the next match.

Keane unconvinced by Manchester United’s midfield

At Old Trafford, the debate is different. Manchester United are closing in on Carlos Baleba, but Roy Keane still sees a gap between ambition and reality.

The former captain, speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, believes United’s midfield is not yet of title-winning standard and that the real problems sit behind it.

“If you’re on about winning the league, I think it’s short. United’s big problems are still going to be defensively,” Keane said.

“That midfield and going forward, there is a big goal threat at United, they were very good last year with it, especially when Carrick took over they were a real goal threat.

“But the issue is at the back, the full-backs and the two centre-halves are still a big issue. But on paper, they [the midfield] jump out as really good players. But is there a league-winning midfield there? Probably not. No, I don’t see it.”

The message is blunt: goals or not, the spine still doesn’t convince him.

Curtis Jones set for Inter switch

On Merseyside, one long-serving academy product is on the verge of a major move.

According to reports in Italy, Curtis Jones is due to land in the country today to undergo a medical ahead of a transfer to Inter Milan. The Liverpool midfielder has agreed a five-year deal with the Serie A champions, with Gianluca Di Marzio reporting an offer in the region of £30m.

Jones is into the final year of his Liverpool contract and there has been no progress on an extension. Inter have moved decisively, seeing an opportunity to secure a homegrown talent at a price they consider good value.

A new league, a new role, and a defining stage of his career beckon at San Siro.

Barcelona change course in search for a striker

In Spain, Barcelona’s search for a replacement for Robert Lewandowski has hit a wall.

The club have cooled their interest in Julian Alvarez, with Atletico’s hardline stance forcing sporting director Deco to look elsewhere. Speaking about the challenge of reshaping the attack after losing Lewandowski and Ferran Torres, Deco laid out the scale of the task.

“We’ve lost two players in attack, Lewy and Ferran. I think we have solutions to cover Ferran with the signings we have made. Replacing Robert is much more difficult. It’s really tough to replace a player like him.

“We have some internal solutions, but we have to look [what’s available]. There is a lot of noise. I think there will be more movement, we are still working hard.”

Barcelona will keep searching, but the market is tight and the demands are high.

Arsenal close in on Konsa

Back in the Premier League, Arsenal’s defensive rebuild has a clear target.

The club are closing in on an agreement with Aston Villa for Ezri Konsa, with talks described as “advancing”. Mikel Arteta wants a right-sided defender who can operate both at centre-back and right-back, and Konsa, 28, fits that profile.

With William Saliba and Jurrien Timber both set to miss the start of the season through long-term injuries, Arsenal’s need is urgent.

There has already been dialogue at ownership level to bridge the gap in valuations. Arsenal have been prepared to go to around £40m, while Villa value Konsa closer to £60m. Personal terms are not expected to be a problem.

If Arsenal get this over the line and Villa move for Harwood-Bellis, one deal will feed directly into another. The only question now is who blinks first in a market that shows no sign of slowing.