Aston Villa announced they have signed left-back Ian Maatsen to a new contract as they continue to get extensions done during the international break.
Maatsen’s new deal takes him through 2032, adding two extra years to his previous terms as Villa lock up one of their key players for the long haul. This comes a day after the club announced an extension for Victor Lindelof.
24-year-old Maatsen signed from Chelsea back in 2024 for £37.5m, and after sharing the left-back responsibilities with Lucas Digne for his first two years he has taken over the top spot after Digne left for PSG in the summer.
Despite an injury-disrupted season so far, he has put in some excellent performances including strong defensive showings against high quality wingers, such as in Villa’s matches against PSG in the UEFA Super Cup and Barcelona in the Champions League.
Villa are using the international break as an opportunity to secure some of their key pieces for the future. Manager Unai Emery is expected to sign a new deal, reaffirming his commitment to the club after interest from Manchester United.
Young winger George Hemmings is also set for fresh terms which will extend his stay until 2031, with the club reportedly having an option to add a further year after that.
There are several other players whose contracts could be renewed in the coming days, with multiple sources reporting Emiliano Buendia and Amadou Onana are also expected to sign.
Buendia will be a free agent at the end of this season, but it seems the 29-year-old will be sticking around after becoming one of the more important senior players at the club.
Renewing Onana’s deal would be a show of faith from Villa, as he is still under contract through 2029 and is currently rehabbing from a torn ACL.
Signing an extension now would seem more attractive to the player than the club, who presumably feel confident Onana will return to his old self once he is back from injury. Meanwhile, there is mixed reporting on Ross Barkley’s future.
The Telegraph’s John Percy claimed the midfielder is expected to ink a new contract in the coming weeks, whereas The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell is more cautious, reporting negotiations have not yet begun despite Barkley wanting to stay beyond his current deal which expires next summer.
Barkley turns 33 next month, so any extension would need to be a short one, like the one year that was tacked onto Lindelof’s contract via a club option built into his previous deal.
Whether it is ensuring veterans who have become trusted cogs in Emery’s system are around next season, or locking up younger players for the long term, Villa are securing the core of their squad as Emery also commits his own future.
Add us as a preferred source on Google