Aston Villa have secured the signing of Chelsea left-back Ian Maatsen for £35m. The 22-year-old spent the latter part of last season on loan at Borussia Dortmund, contributing to their journey to the Champions League final.
Maatsen is currently with the Netherlands national team, preparing for their Euro 2024 last-16 match against Romania on Tuesday. This move marks Villa’s second acquisition of the summer, following the addition of striker Lewis Dobbin from Everton.
Chelsea originally signed Maatsen from PSV Eindhoven in 2019. He gained valuable experience through loan spells at Charlton Athletic, Coventry City, Burnley, and Dortmund. Notably, he played a crucial role in Burnley’s promotion to the Premier League in the 2022-23 season, scoring four goals in 39 appearances and earning a spot in the Championship Team of the Season.
Although Maatsen began last season at Chelsea, he found regular playing time elusive under Mauricio Pochettino, featuring in 15 matches across all competitions. In January, he moved to Dortmund on a six-month loan, where he extended his Chelsea contract until June 2026, which included a release clause anticipating his summer departure.
During his stint in Germany, Maatsen made 23 appearances and netted three goals, as Dortmund secured a fifth-place Bundesliga finish and reached the Champions League final, losing 2-0 to Real Madrid.
Maatsen departs Stamford Bridge with 16 appearances for Chelsea. Meanwhile, Chelsea are nearing a deal to sign 18-year-old attacking midfielder Omari Kellyman from Aston Villa for an estimated £19m.
Credit: BBC Sport
