Manchester United have reportedly made contact over a deal to sign Aston Villa defender Ian Maatsen, as per Football Insider journalist Pete O’Rourke.
Following Casemiro’s departure and Manuel Ugarte’s serious knee issue, the Red Devils have prioritised revamping the midfield department this summer and have bought Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba.
However, during the final few days of this transfer window, United are said to be planning to purchase a new left-back as a potential long-term replacement for Luke Shaw, who has entered the final few months of his current contract.
A plethora of names have been linked with a move to Old Trafford in recent days. Now, on X, O’Rourke reports that United are also interested in Maatsen and have enquired about the details of signing him.
The 24-year-old is valued at around £26m by Transfermarkt and still has a contract until 2030. So, Aston Villa aren’t in any rush to sell him.
Meanwhile, having already sold several stars such as Morgan Rogers, Tielemans, Lucas Digne and Ezri Konsa, with Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Martínez also set to leave, Unai Emery might be reluctant to lose Maatsen as well.
After moving to Villa Park from Chelsea a couple of years ago, Maatsen has mainly featured as a rotational option under Emery. But following Digne’s move to Paris Saint-Germain, the Dutchman is likely to be the first-choice left-back option for the Villans this season.
Maatsen to Man Utd
In 23 starts across the Premier League and Europa League last term, Maatsen made two goal contributions and kept four clean sheets. Moreover, he helped his side win the Europa League.
Maatsen is quick, technically sound, can dribble past opposition defenders in tight areas, and is comfortable playing out from the back. Moreover, he is efficient in defensive contributions.
The Villa star is a talented player and possesses high potential. So, he might be a shrewd acquisition for Man Utd with a view to the long-term future should they purchase him.
However, it is going to be interesting to see whether the 20-time English champions eventually make a concrete approach to secure his service before the end of this transfer window.
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