Alan Shearer has named Arsenal summer signing Ezri Konsa as his Premier League “player of the season” so far.
Konsa joined Arsenal from Aston Villa during this summer’s transfer window, with the England international costing around £55m.
The 29-year-old impressed for England at the World Cup after being key for Aston Villa in recent seasons, and he fully earned his move to Arsenal.
Konsa joined to provide extra cover at centre-back with William Saliba injured, and he has settled in seamlessly since joining Arsenal.
He has struck up a strong partnership with fellow centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes, and Shearer thinks he has been the Premier League’s best player at the start of this campaign.
“I think the player of the season up to now has been Ezri Konsa,” Shearer told Betfair.
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“I just think when you look at the performances of Arsenal defensively, and look at his performances defensively, we haven’t even really mentioned them missing William Saliba.
“The only time we’ve mentioned him is in the last two weeks and that’s because everyone is thinking how is he going to get back in because Konsa has been that good.”
On Konsa, Rio Ferdinand said: “Mikel Arteta has got a problem, he’s got a huge problem now.
“What is he going to do when William Saliba is fit? Ezri Konsa has come into that back-four and he looks like he’s been there for ten years.
“He looks like an immovable object in that team. That’s what it feels like because he’s just slid in there and taken that place. He looks dominant, aggressive and accustomed to wearing the Arsenal shirt.
“He looks like he belongs there. But let’s not forget about Saliba and what he was doing when he was in the team. It’s a problem but it’s a problem that I hope Mikel Arteta will enjoy because he’s got two top centre-backs vying to be in the team.
“It’s a good position to be in. I think we will see Konsa sometimes playing right-back.”
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Alan Shearer issues verdict on the Premier League title
Konsa has helped Arsenal move clear at the top of the Premier League table, and Shearer thinks Brighton will be the “main challenge” to the holders over Manchester City.
“Brighton could be Arsenal’s main challenge to the title this season,” Shearer told Betfair.
“I think Liverpool are in transition. Chelsea, same thing. They still have plenty of work to do with those football clubs.
“Brighton have been incredible. The football that they’re playing, I mean, in Europe too, whether that will hinder them the longer the season goes on I don’t know, but they’re managing really well at the minute.
“I don’t think they’re going to go away. I think they’ll be around for the majority of the season.”
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