Ian Maatsen is an exciting acquisition from Chelsea and one remarkable statistic shows exactly why Aston Villa signed him.
Aston Villa shelled out £37.5 million to bring Ian Maatsen to the club from Chelsea and the excitement to see him in action couldn’t be greater.
Maatsen reached the Champions League final while on loan with Dortmund last term, scoring in the quarter-final against Atletico Madrid.
The 22-year-old became a revelation in Germany after joining in January and showcased his talent as one of the best young attacking full-backs in the game, with one statistic reinforcing that point.
Aston Villa’s Ian Maatsen had the most passes of any U23 full-back in Europe in 2023/24
Villa were crying out for an upgrade at left-back, as while Lucas Digne and Alex Moreno have served them well, their ability in the coming years will only decline and both players are in their thirties.
Unai Emery has emphasized recruiting for the future, as most of his signings recently have been aged 23 or under – including Samuel Iling-Junior, Morgan Rogers and Enzo Barrenchea.
The addition of Maatsen in the full-back role was smart as not only does he have at least another decade at the top, providing he stays fit, but the Dutchman also boasts Champions League experience.
Impressively, though, he’s earned that experience through being one of the best in his position last term.
According to DataMB, Maatsen made more passes per 90 across Europe’s top five leagues (61.4) than any other U23 full-back, beating the likes of Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol, Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies and Chelsea’s Malo Gusto.
For that particular statistic, it shows how much of a creative outlet he can be for Villa and several of their attacking players will be excited to play with him.
Ollie Watkins will be excited to play with Ian Maatsen
Ollie Watkins produced a world-class season for Villa, with his 32-goal contributions helping his side qualify for the Champions League.
For the Englishman to produce the relentless consistency required to match that return, it will take an unbelievable feat, an ability that only the very best can manage.
Watkins relied on the ammunition of Leon Bailey, Douglas Luiz and others in achieving those numbers, while often creating and finishing opportunities himself.
With Maatsen now playing down the left flank, encouraged to push high by Emery, it’s a tantalising prospect watching the Dutchman send crosses into the box for the Englishman to get on the end of.
Maatsen also likes to invert infield and drive forward, giving the Spaniard an extra quality outlet centrally and on the flank.
Hopefully, he will live up to the hype and the ‘special’ gem will become an instant hit at Villa Park.
