Manchester City plot surprise move for Champions League finalist with £35 million release clause | OneFootball

Manchester City have reportedly entered the race to sign Chelsea defender Ian Maatsen but face competition from Borussia Dortmund and Aston Villa.

The 22-year-old started Borussia Dortmund’s agonising UEFA Champions League Final loss to Real Madrid at Wembley Stadium earlier this month, as the Bundesliga side suffered a 0-2 loss after second-half goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior.

Maatsen was one of two Premier League loanee’s to start the Champions League Final in north London, with the Dutch international having moved to Germany on a short-term loan in January alongside Manchester United’s Jadon Sancho.

The left-back made 12 Premier League appearances for Chelsea before signing for Dortmund, where the Dutchman featured 23 times for Edin Terzić at Signal Iduna Park.

The 22-year-old has also spent time at Charlton, Coventry and Burnley, with the defender having helped Vincent Kompany’s side to Premier League promotion during the 2022/23 campaign at Turf Moor.

Maatsen is contracted at Stamford Bridge until 2026 but is one of several players Chelsea could look to sell this summer in an attempt to avoid breaching the Premier League’s financial rules, as the defender is an academy product of the west London club.

Manchester City are reportedly one of two Premier League clubs ‘interested’ in signing the 22-year-old Dutchman, with Borussia Dortmund currently ‘struggling’ to afford the defender’s £35 million release clause, according to outlet HITC.

The £35 million fee is unlikely to trouble the Sky Blues, although Etihad bosses could face competition from Aston Villa, who are also reportedly interested in signing the left-back should Dortmund fail to complete a deal.

Maatsen is the second Dutch international to be linked with a move to Pep Guardiola’s side this summer, with Manchester City also interested in re-signing Bayer Leverkusen full-back Jeremie Frimpong, should Kyle Walker leave the Etihad Stadium.