Chelsea 'agree deal' to sell Ian Maatsen to Premier League rivals

Chelsea have reportedly reached an agreement to sell Ian Maatsen to fellow Premier League club Aston Villa.

After joining Chelsea in 2018, Maatsen spent time out on loan with Charlton Athletic, Coventry City and Burnley, helping the latter win promotion from the Championship in 2022-23.

Maatsen returned to Stamford Bridge for the start of the 2023-24 season, but struggled to force his way into Mauricio Pochettino's plans.

The Dutchman started just one of his 12 Premier League appearances in the first half of the campaign, before he was loaned out to German club Borussia Dortmund in the January transfer window.

Maatsen quickly established himself in the Dortmund side, contributing three goals and two assists in 23 competitive matches.

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Aston Villa agree deal to sign Chelsea's Maatsen

The 22-year-old ultimately played his part in Dortmund's journey to the Champions League final, although he did make a costly mistake in the Wembley defeat to Real Madrid.

Nevertheless, Maatsen impressed during his time with the Bundesliga side, who were keen to sign him on a permanent deal this summer.

However, they were unable to meet the £35m release clause that was only applicable to them after Maatsen signed a new Chelsea deal in January to extend his contract until June 2026.

The release has now expired and it appears that Maatsen will be playing Premier League football next season rather than returning to the German top flight.

According to BBC Sport, Villa have agreed a deal with Chelsea to sign Maatsen for a fee in the region of £35m to £40m, depending on potential add-ons.

The report claims that Chelsea discussed selling Maatsen as part of a swap agreement for Villa forward Jhon Duran, but ultimately decided against following through with such a proposal.

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Why is Maatsen moving to Aston Villa?

Providing there are no issues with the medical, Maatsen will put pen to paper on a six-year deal to keep him at Villa Park until 2030.

The move to Villa appeals to Maatsen because it offers the chance to play Champions League football after Unai Emery's side achieved a top-four finish last term.

From Villa's perspective, they are keen to strengthen in both full-back positions and Maatsen may be viewed as a potential replacement for Lucas Digne.

The Villans are looking to make some sales to stay within the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules and Digne is a candidate to leave due to his significant salary.

Villa also have Spaniard Alex Moreno as a left-back option, but he struggled with hamstring injuries during the course of last season.

Meanwhile, Maatsen is currently with the Netherlands squad after being called up for Euro 2024 following injuries to Frenkie de Jong and Teun Koopmeiners.