Agent Noni! Madueke reveals secret role in Arsenal’s £55m swoop for Ezri Konsa from Aston Villa

Arsenal fans welcomed their newest recruit last week as Konsa arrived at the Emirates Stadium following a lucrative transfer from Aston Villa. The 28-year-old centre-back, who featured in Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad, has committed his future to Arteta’s side by signing a four-year contract.

The £55m signing arrives at a club riding high on momentum. Arsenal finally ended their 22-year wait for a Premier League crown last term and kicked off their title defence with a commanding 3-0 victory over Coventry City. Now, Konsa is in line to make his competitive debut on Monday night when the champions travel to face his former employers at Villa Park.

Madueke played a key role behind the scenes, using his international connection to help steer Konsa towards north London. Speaking to Arsenal's official website, the winger shared his delight over the reunion. "Ezri is a great friend of mine first and foremost," Madueke said. "We’ve played with each other for England now for a couple of years.

"I’m delighted that he’s here, he’s a great player and I know he’s going to be a great addition, not only to the team but around the building," Madueke added. "I can’t wait to see what we’re going to achieve together. It’s a great club, a great environment and I was saying [to Ezri Konsa] before he signed, it’s the best place that he could’ve chosen."

Addressing the fierce competition for starting spots, Madueke embraced the challenge. "You know that you’re fighting for places every week, on a game-to-game basis. You know that you’ve got an amazing squad that has the ability to fight on all front," he explained. "We’ve got a squad full of internationals, top players, and that’s exactly what we need."

The mood around the Emirates remains ecstatic following last season's historic domestic triumph and a recent Community Shield victory over Manchester City. Madueke noted a distinct shift in the squad's mentality. "I feel like everyone’s [more free], everyone’s more relaxed, it’s good," he admitted. "[City] beat us twice last season, so it was a great feeling to beat them and win the first trophy of the season, it sets the tone."

Arsenal's hunger has not diminished since lifting the title. "We definitely have the feeling, obviously it was great to win the league after 22 years, it’s some feat," Madueke continued. "We’re back here with the same mindset to go and do it again, and even to improve on what we did last year."

Reflecting on their opening-day win, he added: "Then the atmosphere against Coventry was great. I think there’s an extra buzz around the place now that we’re champions. It was a great performance from us as well, a great start to the season, so all in all, I think everyone’s really happy at the moment and the mood’s really good."

Arsenal's credentials will be tested on Monday against Unai Emery’s Aston Villa. While the hosts suffered a torrid summer window - losing key stars like Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans, Emiliano Martinez, Ollie Watkins, and Konsa - and endured a 4-0 thrashing by Brighton, Madueke remains cautious. "Any Unai Emery team, you’ve got to be aware of," he warned. "He’s a great manager and what he’s done over at Villa Park over the last three or four years has been amazing."

Villa claimed a 2-1 victory in this exact fixture last season, giving the Gunners plenty of reason to stay sharp. "Of course, we know that they’re a very dangerous team, especially at home, but we’ll be prepared," Madueke concluded. "We’ll focus on ourselves and we’ll have full confidence that we can win the game."