• Aston Villa sign Chelsea defender Ian Maatsen on permanent transfer, ending his six-year spell with the Blues.

Aston Villa have successfully secured the signing of left-back Ian Maatsen from Chelsea for a fee of £37.5 million. The 22-year-old Dutch defender has agreed to a six-year contract with Villa Park.

Maatsen’s move comes after a fruitful loan spell at Borussia Dortmund during the second half of the last season, where he helped the Bundesliga club reach the Champions League final. He is currently representing the Netherlands at Euro 2024, preparing for a last-16 match against Romania.

This signing marks Villa’s second acquisition of the summer, following the addition of striker Lewis Dobbin from Everton.

Aston Villa is delighted to announce the signing of Ian Maatsen from Chelsea. ✅

— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) June 28, 2024

Maatsen’s career began at PSV Eindhoven before he joined Chelsea in 2019. During his time with Chelsea, he had successful loan spells at Charlton Athletic, Coventry City, Burnley, and Dortmund. His standout performance at Burnley in the 2022–23 season contributed significantly to their promotion to the Premier League, earning him a spot in the Championship Team of the Season.

Despite starting the last campaign at Chelsea, Maatsen found limited playing time under Mauricio Pochettino, featuring in 15 matches across all competitions. A loan move to Dortmund in January provided him with more opportunities, where he made 23 appearances and scored three goals, although Dortmund finished fifth in the Bundesliga and lost to Real Madrid in the Champions League final.

Ian Maatsen leaves Chelsea after making 16 appearances for the club, bringing his talents and experience to Aston Villa.

Ian Maatsen has left Chelsea and completed a permanent transfer to Aston Villa. All the best, Ian! pic.twitter.com/cZ0952zPR2

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) June 28, 2024

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Chelsea are reportedly set to finalize a deal with Aston Villa for the sale of left-back Ian Maatsen. Despite showcasing his talents during a loan spell at Borussia Dortmund, including an appearance in the Champions League final, Maatsen is poised to make a permanent move to a Premier League competitor.

The Dutch defender impressed during his time in Germany, where Dortmund reached the final at Wembley, though they were defeated by Real Madrid. Chelsea, despite needing a reliable left-back, have opted to cash in on Maatsen, a product of their youth academy, securing a significant transfer fee.

Dortmund had the option to activate a £35 million release clause in Maatsen’s loan agreement, but they did not exercise it. Now, according to reports from The Athletic, Aston Villa has agreed on a fee “just above” that amount and is finalizing details on a six-year contract with the player.

Maatsen’s Chelsea contract, extended during his loan to Dortmund, runs until the summer of 2026. The 22-year-old, who joined Chelsea at 16, has experienced a rapid ascent despite struggling to establish himself in London. He spent seasons on loan in the Championship, notably winning promotion with Burnley.

While opportunities were limited at Chelsea, Maatsen is now set to return to the Champions League with Aston Villa, who secured fourth place in the Premier League to qualify for Europe’s premier competition for the first time in over four decades. Villa is expected to part ways with either Alex Moreno or Lucas Digne, the current options at left-back, to accommodate Maatsen’s arrival.

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Ian Maatsen, whose contract with Chelsea was extended until 2026, has moved on loan to Borussia Dortmund for the balance of the season.

Maatsen’s previous agreement had been slated to end in 2025, but Chelsea have sought to lengthen his tenure at Stamford Bridge.

In the meantime, the Dutchman completed his Dortmund medical on Wednesday in preparation for a transfer to the Bundesliga team.

Goedemorgen, Ian! 👋 pic.twitter.com/73rQHlopPV

— Borussia Dortmund (@BVB) January 12, 2024

Maatsen said, “Borussia Dortmund tried hard to find me. I’ve been following BVB and its fans for a long time and was even at the Champions League game in Manchester in autumn 2022 to see the team live on the pitch.

“I’m very happy that the loan has worked out. I promise that I will give everything for the team’s success and I’m really looking forward to the yellow wall.”

Dortmund sporting director, Sebastian Kehl added: “Due to our current personal situation, we have decided to take action again in the left-back position in the winter. With his strengths, Ian fits our requirements profile. He is a player who has a lot of speed, has a strong left foot and can also be used in various positions. We are very pleased that we were able to finalise this loan before our first Bundesliga game of the year.”

⚫️ BVB leiht Ian Maatsen aus 🟡

Borussia Dortmund hat den niederländischen Junioren-Nationalspieler Ian Maatsen (21) verpflichtet.

Der Linksverteidiger, der am Mittwoch in Dortmund den obligatorischen Medizincheck absolviert hat, wird bis zum Ende der laufenden Saison vom… pic.twitter.com/SgtairfKqO

— Borussia Dortmund (@BVB) January 12, 2024

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Chelsea is believed to have reached an agreement with Borussia Dortmund to loan Dutch defender Ian Maatsen to the German side until the end of the season.

Last summer, Chelsea accepted a bid from Burnley, offering £31.5m for a permanent transfer this year, but the 21-year-old declined the proposal. Despite injuries to Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella, Maatsen has played under 400 minutes across all competitions this season.

With 18 months left on his original contract, Maatsen was made available this month, drawing interest from Dortmund. However, reports suggest Dortmund hesitated to agree to Chelsea’s demand for an obligatory purchase clause. Instead, the clubs settled on a straightforward loan, with Maatsen returning to Chelsea in the summer.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Maatsen has also agreed to a two-year contract extension with Chelsea, extending until 2027, including a release clause for a potential future transfer.

🚨🔵 EXCL: Ian Maatsen signs new deal at Chelsea valid until June 2027, two year extension… and it will include a release clause!

The clause will be valid starting from summer 2024.

🟡⚫️✈️ Maatsen will fly to Dortmund tonight to join BVB on loan, medical tomorrow as revealed. pic.twitter.com/rYI7wv0Ecx

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 9, 2024

Despite a left-back injury crisis, Maatsen struggled for playing time at Chelsea. Manager Mauricio Pochettino often deployed center-back Levi Colwill on the left and used right-back Malo Gusto as the primary alternative. Maatsen’s appearances this season were mainly in a forward role, playing on wings and even in Chelsea’s midfield.

Chelsea is hopeful for Ben Chilwell’s return to action soon, as he is back in full training after a hamstring injury since September. On the other hand, Marc Cucurella, who underwent ankle surgery last month, remains on crutches and is not expected to return until late February at the earliest.

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