Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has confirmed that defender Ezri Konsa will not be available for the UEFA Super Cup match against Paris Saint-Germain at the Red Bull Arena in Salzburg. The contest between the winners of the Europa League and the Champions League takes place on Wednesday evening.
In addition to Konsa, Villa will also miss goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and forward Ollie Watkins.
Reasons for the absence of key players
Unai Emery emphasised that the trio's absence is not linked to transfer speculation. All three players were granted a four-week break following their participation in the World Cup.
Unai Emery:
They are not with us because they finished the season on July 19, and I gave them four weeks for recovery – it was absolutely necessary. Of course, if they were here, our chances would be higher, but PSG is in a similar situation. We are preparing for the game with those available, including the youth.
Interest from Arsenal
- Defensive woes for the Gunners: Arsenal are weighing up a move for Konsa to bolster their backline due to injuries to William Saliba and Jurrien Timber.
- Financial concerns: The £60 million figure requested by Aston Villa still exceeds Arsenal's valuation of the player.
- Situation with Romero: Tottenham's captain Cristian Romero has also been on Arsenal's radar, but the Argentine is close to a move to Atletico Madrid, as Spurs have declined to negotiate with their North London rivals.
