Aston Villa has reached an agreement with Chelsea to sign Dutch defender Ian Maatsen. The 22-year-old left-back will transfer for a fee ranging between £35 million and £40 million, contingent on potential add-ons. The deal is subject to Maatsen passing a medical, with the player expected to sign a six-year contract at Villa Park.
Maatsen was drawn to Villa by the prospect of playing in the Champions League next season. He previously reached the final of the competition during a loan spell with Borussia Dortmund in the latter half of last season.
Initially, Chelsea and Aston Villa explored a potential swap deal involving Villa striker Jhon Duran, but ultimately decided to proceed with a straightforward sale of Maatsen. Earlier attempts by Dortmund to secure Maatsen’s permanent transfer fell through, as they were unwilling to meet Chelsea’s full asking price of £35 million.
Despite signing a 12-month contract extension with Chelsea in January, Maatsen’s deal included a release clause, making his departure this summer almost inevitable.
Currently, Maatsen is with the Netherlands national team in Germany for Euro 2024, where they are set to face France in Leipzig on Friday. Consequently, he has not yet finalized his contract or completed his medical examination in the Midlands.
Maatsen joined Chelsea from PSV Eindhoven in 2019 and impressed during loan spells at Charlton, Coventry, Burnley, and Dortmund. However, he struggled to secure a permanent place in the squad under Mauricio Pochettino last season, making only 16 appearances for the Blues.
