Aston Villa are nearing the completion of the transfer for Chelsea left-back Ian Maatsen. According to Fabrizio Romano, the 22-year-old has been granted permission to undergo his medical while with the Netherlands national team. Romano reported on X that Villa have agreed to a fee of approximately £37.5 million with Chelsea, and personal terms are nearly finalized, pending a few minor details.
Maatsen is expected to undergo his medical over the weekend, suggesting Villa are on the verge of securing his signature. Additionally, Villa’s youngster Omari Kellyman is likely to move to Stamford Bridge as part of a separate deal.
Regarding financial regulations, Villa are managing their obligations creatively. They are exploring agreements where they exchange players with other clubs to navigate Premier League financial rules. In this instance, Villa are making a significant payment to acquire Maatsen, who impressed during a loan spell at Borussia Dortmund last season. Concurrently, they are looking to balance their books by selling young midfielder Kellyman for an estimated £19 million.
Villa are also in discussions to potentially sell Douglas Luiz to Juventus, aiming to acquire promising talents from the Serie A club this summer.
Unai Emery’s team is nearing the acquisition of Everton winger Lew Dobbin this month. Similar to their other transactions, Villa have sanctioned the departure of talented midfielder Tim Iroegbunam to Goodison Park.
While selling young talents at a premium to adhere to financial regulations may appear strategic in the short term, it could potentially undermine the sustainability of the system in the long run.
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