Ian Maatsen, a left back for Chelsea, is one of the players that Aston Villa is expected to complete a flurry of transfers for in the near future.
Ian Maatsen from Chelsea is almost signed by Aston Villa. The defender, who is now away at Euro 2024 with the Netherlands, will sign a contract with the Lions for a sum exceeding £35 million, with an eye toward the long term. The 22-year-old Maatsen has served his time on several loan stints, but he is almost ready to settle down and find a place at Villa where he will have the opportunity to succeed.
Maatsen has played on loan for a number of teams in the past, including Charlton Athletic, Coventry City, and Burnley, who won the league in 2023. However, it was during the second half of the previous campaign with Borussia Dortmund that he made his real breakthrough on the European scene. The Dutchman contributed significantly to the run-in as the Black and Yellows advanced to the Champions League final while playing at Signal Iduna Park under the direction of the now-deceased Edin Terzic.
Terzic was all praise for Maatsen and his evaluation of his qualities promises much for those of a Villa persuasion ahead of Maatsen’s unveiling. Terzic admitted that he was very, very surprised that Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman didn’t initially call Maatsen up to his international squad for the Euros – Maatsen only joined up with the group after Barcelona midfielder Frenkie De Jong dropped out due to injury.
After Dortmund’s defeat by Real Madrid in the Champions League final at Wembley last month, Terzic remarked, “This is a game full of mistakes and it’s all about the reaction.” Ian is a player that constantly seeks to get the ball; regardless of how tight the situation is, he will try to get it, accelerate, and play forward. Of course, when you have this kind of mentality, you will occasionally lose the ball.
“I have no hard feelings towards Ian because we didn’t play well enough to score in the first half despite them facing similar circumstances. Ian will undoubtedly grow from that experience and have a bright future, in my opinion. He has demonstrated his abilities. He handled confined spaces very technically. He can accelerate at the first touch. an excellent player.
“From the very first training sessions, he left a positive impression. Technically and athletically, he contributes much to the team. He is incredibly quick yet possesses great endurance.” Admitting his surprise at Koeman’s decision to leave Maatsen out of the initial Netherlands roster, Terzic went on to say, “He is the best left-back in the Bundesliga.”
