Aston Villa sign Dutch defender Maatsen from Chelsea for reported £37.5 mn

English Woman's Journal - Aston Villa sign Dutch defender Maatsen from Chelsea for reported £37.5 mn

SPORTS 28.06.2024

Aston Villa sign Dutch defender Maatsen from Chelsea for reported £37.5 mn / Photo: INA FASSBENDER - AFP

Aston Villa have signed Netherlands defender Ian Maatsen from Premier League rivals Chelsea, the club announced Friday on their website.

Change text size:

No fee was disclosed, but several British media outlets reported Maatsen had moved to Villa in a deal worth £37.5 million ($47.4 million, 44.3 million euros).

The 22-year-old left-back was a member of the Borussia Dortmund team beaten 2-0 by Real Madrid in the Champions League final at Wembley earlier this month while on loan from Stamford Bridge.

He is currently with the Netherlands at Euro 2024 in Germany after being called into the squad as a replacement for injured Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong.

Maatsen is the second player signed by Villa manager Unai Emery in the pre-season transfer window following forward Lewis Dobbin's arrival from Everton.

Villa are now preparing for Champions League football after finishing fourth in the Premier League last season.

Maatsen made 16 appearances in the Bundesliga and seven in the Champions League for Dortmund, including scoring in the German club's European quarter-final win over Atletico Madrid.

He also featured in 12 Premier League games for Chelsea last term, having previously been loaned to a trio of English clubs in Charlton, Coventry and Burnley.

N.M.Shaw--EWJ

Mets President David Stearns Expresses Confidence in Marcus Semien's Motivation

New York Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns has identified Marcus Semien’s self-motivation as the primary factor in his potential recovery from an underwhelming debut season. Speaking at the general managers meetings in Las Vegas, Stearns affirmed that the team remains confident in Semien’s ability to improve, even as they evaluate other infield options for next year.

FA Cup Second-Round Draw Confirmed for Non-League and Midlands Clubs

The FA Cup second-round draw has been finalized, setting up crucial ties for non-league teams aiming to reach the third round proper. Several clubs from the Midlands, including Burton Albion and Kidderminster Harriers, have secured their next opponents following recent victories over lower-league opposition.

Panthers expected to begin 2027 NRL season away from new stadium

The new Penrith Stadium is expected to be ready in time for the opening round of the 2027 NRL season, but it’s still likely the Panthers is expected to be on the road for their early matches. There is no delay to the build of the new $309 million venue but there’s a lack of appetite for risk around weather delays through the summer.

English Woman's Journal - Aston Villa sign Dutch defender Maatsen from Chelsea for reported £37.5 mn