Aston Villa sign Chelsea defender Ian Maatsen after Dortmund’s loan spell

Aston Villa have announced the signing of defender Ian Maatsen from Chelsea for a fee exceeding £35 million.

The Netherlands full-back has agreed to a six-year contract, keeping him at Villa Park until 2030.

The deal follows Maatsen’s successful loan spell at Borussia Dortmund, where he contributed three goals and two assists in 23 appearances.

He helped the club reach the Champions League final, where they lost to Real Madrid.

His performances also earned him a spot in the Netherlands’ Euro 2024 squad as a late replacement for Frenkie de Jong.

Maatsen, 22, joined Chelsea’s academy from PSV in 2018 and made 15 appearances for the London club.

Despite limited Premier League starts, he showed his talent during loan spells, including winning the Championship with Burnley in the 2022/23 season.

Luckily for Maatsen, Aston Villa are also in the Champions League, having finished fourth-place in the Premier League last season.