Aston Villa have yet to make a signing this summer, yet this could all change in the next few weeks if Unai Emery has his wish.
The club have been linked with a move for Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher recently in a bid to improve their midfield options, especially if Douglas Luiz departs during the transfer window, as the likes of Arsenal and Juventus are keen on the player.
Could there be more players who will be sold this summer as Emery looks to comply with the financial fair play regulations?
Aston Villa transfer news
According to journalist Matt Law of the Telegraph, Villa have granted Chelsea permission to speak to striker Jhon Duran ahead of a potential move away from the Midlands this summer.
The Blues have been admirers of the Colombian youngster since January and the money raised from a sale could give Emery licence to perhaps move for a few transfer targets, including Gallagher.
It isn’t only the English midfielder that the Spaniard is keen on luring from Chelsea, however, as the Telegraph reports that left-back Ian Maatsen is also high on Emery’s wish list, with Villa having enquired about the promising talent.
The defender has a release clause of £35m and Borussia Dortmund – where Maatsen spent the second half of last season on loan – are not willing to meet this in order to make the move permanent.
This could allow the Midlands side to make their move, perhaps using Duran as part of the deal to bring the Dutchman to Villa Park ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
Maatsen is in the Netherlands squad for Euro 2024 and solid performances on the continental stage could perhaps see more admirers come in for the defender. Therefore, Emery will need to act swiftly.
Could this see Lucas Digne replaced as the first choice left-back next season? As it is clear Maatsen is an upgrade on the Frenchman.
How Ian Maatsen compares to Lucas Digne
The French defender made a total of 46 appearances across all competitions last term, scoring twice and grabbing six assists in the process.
He will be 31 when the new season begins, however, ensuring he is not exactly a long-term solution at left-back. Among his teammates last term, Digne ranked seventh for assists (three) in the Premier League along with ranking eighth for big chances created (five), sixth for key passes per game (1.2) and 17th for successful dribbles per game (0.3), hardly the most earth-shattering statistics, and it is clear Villa need improvement on the left side of the defence.
During his spell in Germany at Dortmund, Maatsen ranked sixth in the whole squad for assists (two) in the Bundesliga, while also ranking tenth for big chances created (three), 13th for key passes per game (0.5) and ninth for successful dribbles per game (0.8).
Although Digne comes out on top in a few of these metrics, Maatsen played only 16 games in the Bundesliga, compared to the 33 Premier League games the Frenchman played, which suggests that Maatsen’s stats may have been a lot more impressive had he spent the full season in Germany.
There is no doubt that the "special" Dutchman – as described by journalist Tom Overend – has a wonderful future ahead of him, and he could secure regular game time in the top flight by making a move to Villa this summer.
Digne has been solid during his spell in the Midlands, but perhaps this is the perfect chance for Emery to move him in the next few weeks.
Ian Maatsen’s season in numbers
Maatsen ranked fairly highly across a range of metrics among his Dortmund teammates, and he also shone when compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues.
Indeed, he ranks in the top 9% for non-penalty goals (0.13) per 90 while ranking in the top 13% for progressive passes (5.35) per 90 and in the top 21% for progressive carries (2.74) per 90, demonstrating his attacking abilities, bursting down the left flank on a regular basis.
Defensively, Maatsen ranks in the top 20% for clearances (2.87), blocks (1.63) and interceptions (1.2) per 90 when compared to his peers across the previous 365 days, which indicates that he isn’t only solid going forward, but is able to defend well.
In the Bundesliga, the defender won 3.4 total duels per game – a success rate of 47% – while making 1.9 tackles and recovering 4.9 balls per game, yet more evidence of how important he could be to Emery should he join Villa next season.
Why Ian Maatsen could be great for Conor Gallagher
The duo featured together for the Blues during the first half of the 2023/24 campaign and they could repeat their partnership should both players join Villa this summer.
Both players love to make bursting runs into the final third and with Gallagher typically playing at the heart of the midfield, they could link up well when Villa have the ball and are on the ascendency during matches.
Maatsen’s loan spell at Burnley under Vincent Kompany laid the groundwork for what could be a sublime career at the very top, and the Belgian was quick to praise the Dutchman, saying:
“He's part of such a very strong list of players who have done really well for us this season.
“The ingredients are always the same. He's got to be coachable in a sense that when he's not doing well, we've got to be able to tell him and eventually learn from his mistakes. He's got to be willing to work hard, he does that terrifically, and get better.
"He's just turning into something that we expected him to be able to become. He's a very, very versatile full-back with lots of energy and great potential."
High praise indeed and this should be even more evidence as to why Emery must splash the cash to bring the youngster to Villa Park ahead of next season, especially as he can potentially be an upgrade to Digne on the left side of the defence.
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