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Transfers
£38m player now admits he had move elsewhere lined up before Aston Villa made significant bid
Aston Villa actually came close to missing out on a target this summer – but the money available at Villa Park spoke loudly.
Monchi – Director of Football for Aston Villa – worked alongside Unai Emery to sign eight new players in the transfer market, spending roughly £150m to bolster the squad quite significantly.
However, one of these summer signings has now admitted that he initially had no intention of joining Aston Villa – as another move was planned…
Ian Maatsen shares how Aston Villa move materialised
Aston Villa No.22 Ian Maatsen has now revealed that he planned to join Borussia Dortmund from Chelsea this summer after his loan spell with the Bundesliga side ended – before the Villans blew the UEFA Champions League finalists out of the water with a substantial offer.
The 22-year-old AD: “When I left Dortmund, the plan was to return there. They just didn’t have the budget of Aston Villa, and it was also a dream of mine to play in the Premier League.
“This was a great opportunity. I also noticed this in the conversations with Unai Emery – attacking football and me as a left-back, on the inside or outside. I already feel completely at home in Birmingham.”
Aston Villa ended up paying to sign Maatsen from Chelsea.
Emery is yet to hand the Dutchman a start in the Premier League, giving the man from Vlaardingen 16, 14 and 11 minutes against West Ham, Arsenal and Leicester respectively.
Nevertheless, it feels like it is only a matter of time until a talent as precocious as Maatsen breaks into the Spaniard’s starting XI.
Unai Emery can use the Dutchman in several positions
If Lucas Digne continues to perform well and keeps the left-back spot, there are many other areas Emery can deploy Maatsen in.
As Transfermarkt shows, the Dutch defender has played in different positions throughout his career, including central defence, on the left and right of attack, and even as a central attacking midfielder.
Therefore, despite a slow start to life at Villa Park as he fights for a place, there should be plenty of chances for Maatsen to feature throughout what looks set to be a gruelling 2024/25 campaign.