Ian Maatsen is set to move from Chelsea to Aston Villa in a deal worth £37.5 million, as Villa look to improve the left back position ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
The Dutch defender is fresh off a successful loan spell with Borussia Dortmund which culminated in an appearance in the Champions League final, but what will he add to Villa’s back line? Here’s a scouting report on the 22-year-old.
Strengths
Starting with the defensive side, Maatsen is front-footed and competitive.
He is always ready to burst forward to pinch the ball when an opportunity arises, ranking in the 80th percentile for interceptions among full-backs in the ‘Big 5’ European leagues last season.
Maatsen is aggressive in closing down wingers and competes to stop them from crossing the ball. He charges out of the penalty area to challenge opponents picking up loose balls after set pieces. The Dutchman ranks in the 84th for blocks.
He nips at opponents’ heels when they are in possession and forces mistakes. If he is beaten initially, Maatsen does not give up the ghost and is often able to eventually win the ball back.
In a game against Bochum, he lost the ball and made an incredible recovery tackle to likely prevent a goal. He has a knack for poking the ball away from attackers as they dribble. Maatsen ranks in the 57th percentile for tackles.
He defends with good awareness, sensing opponents in his general area and shading over slightly to cut off potential passes to them. When marking opponents at corners, he will move goal side of them at the last second, giving them no time to adjust.
Against Bayern Munich, Leroy Sane led a breakaway after a Dortmund corner, with Maatsen being the last line of defence. Rather than panicking and rushing towards the ball-carrier, he held his ground and intercepted Sane’s pass, extinguishing the fire.
Maatsen’s elite speed is his best physical asset and is a weapon both going forward and back towards his own goal.
Defensively, it allows him to run step for step with wingers looking to get down the line, recover to snuff out counter attacks or range across the field to cover long balls.
In attack, Maatsen carries the ball forward with pace, ranking in the 79th percentile for progressive carries. He stretches defences on overlaps and is suited to playing the game at pace.
Maatsen loves to bomb forward when space opens up and looks to receive the ball in forward areas. He overlaps his winger and is generally not fun to defend against. He ranks in the 82nd percentile for carries into the penalty area.
Despite a lack of size (Maatsen is bizarrely listed at either 5’6” or 5’10”, depending on where you look), he always competes physically to the best of his ability, and this effort pays off at times, as he can box out opponents and hold them off purely out of determination.
He is an energetic player, and this lasts until the final whistle.
From a technical standpoint, Maatsen shows the ability to do everything a coach might want from a modern full-back.
He is confident in his first touch and can take it on the bounce effortlessly, not breaking stride. Maatsen has quick feet which allows him to receive and move the ball on efficiently and without wasting any time.
Maatsen stops and changes direction with the ball suddenly and seamlessly. This helps him to shake players trailing him. He can take the ball past players, ranking in the 59th percentile for successful take-ons.
As a passer, Maatsen really shines. He is comfortable and calm making first time passes and plays the pass however it needs to be played in order to find its target, whether it is a cushioned volley lifted over an opponent or an outside of the foot pass.
His passes are generally accurate and hit firmly. Maatsen ranks in the 87th percentile for pass accuracy, yet does not play it safe. He also ranks in the 95th percentile for through balls, frequently playing nicely weighted passes out in front of his winger for them to latch on to.
The Dutchman can hit accurate deep and crossfield passes with ease, ranking in the 92nd percentile for long pass accuracy, and whips dangerous crosses into the ‘corridor of uncertainty’, inviting teammates to get on the end of it.
Maatsen is a competent ball-striker, which as a fullback who often finds himself in the final third, is important. He ranks in the 75th percentile for shot on target percentage. He also took corners at Dortmund on occasion.
For a young player, Maatsen’s intelligence and feel for the game is impressive. He backs up his winger ready to scoop up any loose balls and when arriving at it, instinctively plays positive passes.
He sees and plays clever passes, looking to thread it between the lines or into the penalty area. Maatsen ranks in the 87th percentile for progressive passes.
At the same time, he keeps things simple, offloading the ball when he has to, staying calm under pressure and avoiding being caught out.
Maatsen was asked to perform both as a traditional left-back and also inverted into midfield at Dortmund, and not only fit in seamlessly after arriving midseason, but was a big catalyst for their run to the Champions League final.
He is a vocal presence on the pitch, communicating, supporting teammates, asking for the ball. Maatsen plays with passion and energy.
Weaknesses
The most glaring weakness in Maatsen’s game is his lack of height. It is something he cannot change and is going to be a problem at times defensively, specifically when it comes to competing in the air.
Maatsen can be targeted by long balls and easily held off by attackers. He ranks in just the 2nd percentile for aerial win percentage.
His style of defending has its downsides, as his eagerness to close down leaves him more susceptible to being run past as opponents use his momentum against him.
He takes overaggressive angles in chasing the ball, which can be taken advantage of. Maatsen ranks in the 15th percentile for percentage of dribblers tackled.
The defender’s tendency to want to pounce on loose passes means he can be sucked towards the ball and leave gaps behind him, which can be exploited if he gets it wrong.
Maatsen gives away too many silly fouls, such as for pulling players back when he does not need to. He ranks in the 33rd percentile for fouls committed and the 4th percentile for yellow cards, indicating a need to work on his discipline.
There is still room for improvement when it comes to the mental side of Maatsen’s game.
He has been guilty of losing concentration and giving the ball away in unfortunate positions (see: the Champions League final, when he gifted Real Madrid their second goal). Maatsen ranks in the 13th percentile for errors and the 11th for times dispossessed.
Maatsen is prone to a loose first touch, which again seems more attributable to switching off rather than a lack of ability. He ranks in the 8th percentile for miscontrols, and these errors can lead to goal scoring chances for the opposition.
Sometimes Maatsen’s decision making is questionable, specifically as a passer. He will try to hit a homerun pass that isn’t on, or launch the ball long when receiving it close to his own goal, rather than taking a touch and assessing the situation.
When his team is in possession, Maatsen naturally wants to get behind the opposition winger to receive the ball in space, but at times he could do a better job of coming short to show for the ball and help out his centre-back when they are short of options.
Fit with Villa
Stylistically as it pertains to Villa’s incumbents, Maatsen is much more similar to Alex Moreno than Lucas Digne as a pacy left-back who is a threat in the opposing final third.
Unai Emery generally likes one full-back to tuck in and form a back three, while the other ventures forward. Maatsen is capable of performing either role due to his strengths in ball retention, progression and carrying. This could mean less need to rotate players based on the opponent.
Other than the physical challenges Maatsen will face due to his lack of size, he possesses all the tools required to become a top quality full-back, and at 22, is already well on his way.
Signing the Dutchman is a real coup for Villa, and a transaction they simply could not have pulled off without being able to offer Champions League football.
The Villa Ramble 
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