Ian Maatsen is close to joining Aston Villa from Chelsea, The Pitch Prospect has learned, with the two clubs reaching an agreement for him.
The Blues were open to parting ways with the 22-year-old permanently after he spent the second half of the 2023/24 season on loan at Borussia Dortmund.
3
At Signal Iduna Park, the left-back quickly gained the attention of the fans and helped the club reach the final of the Champions League.
He finished his time with the German team with three goals and two assists in 23 games in all competitions.
His performances secured him a place in the Netherlands squad for the 2024 European Championship, and Ronald Koeman called him up at short notice as a replacement for Frenkie de Jong.
And Maatsen, who won the league title on loan to Burnley in the 2022/23 season, will now leave Stamford Bridge permanently.
The deal is believed to be worth more than the £35 million release clause Chelsea agreed to with Dortmund in the winter transfer window.
The Pitch Prospect reckon a fixed price could be worth up to £40m, with Chelsea able to earn even more if they fulfil their additional signings.
Agreement has already been reached on the personal terms: Maatsen will sign a six-year contract at Villa Park until 2030.
Maatsen, who joined Chelsea’s academy from PSV in 2018, has made 15 appearances for the west Londoners since his debut in 2019.
3
3
He made 15 appearances under Mauricio Pochettino, but only made one appearance in the Premier League.
Maatsen gave an update on his future ahead of the Champions League final, which Real Madrid won 2-0 at Wembley.
He said: “I still have a contract and after the summer we will decide what my future will look like.”
“I know that I came here to Dortmund to prove to myself that I can play at the highest level and on the highest stage and that is what I am doing now.”
If Villa complete a deal to sign Maatsen, he will be back playing in the Champions League.
Chelsea, on the other hand, will compete in the Europa Conference League, Europe’s third-tier competition.