As he sets out on yet another remarkable humanitarian expedition, Nico Jackson’s dedication to humanity does not falter. Jackson is well-known for his commitment to changing the world, and his actions still provide warmth and hope to underprivileged areas. Watch this space for updates on his remarkable adventure.
Ian Maatsen to Aston Villa and Chelsea agreed to a £37.5 million deal — reports
Borussia Dortmund’s deep run in the Champions League this season was largely attributed to Chelsea fullback Ian Maatsen, even before the German team made every effort to pay a few million less than the agreed-upon £35 million release clause for him. Sadly for them—and fortunately for us—there is another club that is obviously prepared to comply with our requests.
The Athletic and multiple other sources claim that Villa and Chelsea have reached an agreement for the transfer of left-back Ian Maatsen. The teams agreed on a price that was marginally higher than the released clause of £35 million. According to reports, the 22-year-old has already agreed to personal terms and will sign a six-year contract with Villa.
As the team gets ready for its debut Champions League season the following season, Villa manager Unai Emery hopes to sign Maatsen. Maatsen’s Chelsea contract was originally scheduled to expire in June 2025, but in January it was extended by an additional year. Maatsen was loaned by Chelsea to Dortmund after this extension, and he soon contributed significantly to their Champions League run there.
Maatsen thrived in Dortmund, starting all seven Champions League play-off games and 15 of their 18 Bundesliga games in the second half of the season, despite making few appearances for Chelsea in the first part of the previous year. He’s in the Netherlands right now, competing in the European Championship.
This move may indicate future business between the two teams as Chelsea may have been interested in Aston Villa forward Jhon Durán. Nevertheless, Maatsen is a tremendous talent that the Blues may really miss in the upcoming campaigns.