Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has provided a clear update regarding defender Ezri Konsa's contractual situation at the club, indicating there are no immediate plans to offer the England international a new deal.
Current Contract Status
Konsa's existing contract with Villa is set to run until 2028, meaning the centre-back still has approximately two-and-a-half years remaining on his current terms. This places him in a different position to several teammates who have recently signed extensions.
Since the conclusion of last season, Villa have secured fresh terms for multiple key players including Tyrone Mings, Boubacar Kamara, Lucas Digne, Matty Cash and John McGinn. These extensions were primarily motivated by the limited time remaining on their previous agreements.
In a contrasting move, Morgan Rogers signed an improved contract earlier this month despite already being committed until 2030. His new deal adds an extra year and includes a salary increase that reflects his growing importance to Emery's squad.
Emery's Perspective on Konsa
When questioned about potential new terms for Konsa, Emery responded with characteristic humour before explaining the club's position. "I don't know. I don't know exactly when his contract ends. You know better than me when is ending his contract," the Villa boss remarked.
Upon being informed it runs until 2028, he quipped: "2028? You are his agent! The other players [who signed up], they were finishing sooner. 2028? That's so long."
Konsa has been instrumental in Villa's progress under Emery, featuring prominently this season with starts in 11 of Villa's 12 Premier League matches. The defender last put pen to paper on a contract in September 2023.
Teammate Praise and Defensive Strength
Fellow defender Pau Torres, who joined Emery in the pre-Young Boys press conference, offered glowing praise for Konsa's development and current form.
"I think he is really strong in the duels. He's a winner. His capacity to lead the team from the back is amazing," Torres stated. "He is improving a lot with the ball and since I arrived here, he improved a lot. I think it is down to the work he did but also the staff who worked with him to improve on it. He deserves to be in the England squad."
Discussing Villa's impressive defensive record this season, Torres emphasised that it's a collective effort. "It is not just the back four. It is work which involves every player in our team," he explained.
"We have a good structure defensively. Everyone is running when we don't have the ball to recover because we feel stronger with it. We also have two very good goalkeepers. Marco helped us at the start of the season when Emi couldn't play. Now I think we have the best Emi we can have."
Torres also highlighted the strength in depth at centre-back, noting: "We have four really good centre-backs, all international players. When we are all fit, we have four good players, which is good for us."
With Konsa's contract situation settled for the foreseeable future, Villa can maintain focus on their ongoing campaign with one of their defensive pillars securely tied to the club.
