Emery relaxed over Konsa's Villa contract: 2028? That's so long
Ezri Konsa will soon be into the final two years of his Aston Villa contract but Unai Emery is unconcerned.
Unai Emery is calm about Ezri Konsa's contract situation at Aston Villa, joking that 2028 is "so long" away.
England centre-back Konsa has been a vital component of Villa's rise to regular European contenders and will enter the final two years of his deal at the end of the season.
Morgan Rogers recently penned new terms despite having already been contracted until 2030, while the likes of John McGinn, Lucas Digne, Matty Cash, Boubacar Kamara, and Tyrone Mings have all been awarded new deals but had less time remaining.
However, addressing reporters before Villa's Europa League clash with Young Boys on Thursday, Emery said there is no immediate rush to start negotiations.
He said: "I don't know. I don't know exactly when his contract ends. You know better than me when he is ending his contract.
"[It expires in] 2028? You are his agent! The other players [who signed up], they were finishing sooner, but 2028? That's so long."
At the other end of the pitch, Donyell Malen is a man in form for Villa and the Netherlands, having scored six goals in his past 12 games for club and country.
Emery said the forward is reaping the rewards for the hard work he is showing in training.
"He's very motivated and he's playing like he's training. Everything he's achieving now, we can see it before in the training sessions," he added.
"His rhythm, his wishes, his body language is helping the team tactically in the structure we have to achieve our task.
"His qualities help him to score goals and make assists, but how he's threatening opponents behind with his speed is very important for us.
"He's clinical when he has chances to score."
Villa's win over Leeds United last weekend sent them up to fourth place in the Premier League, while Emery's team sit sixth in the Europa League table.
