Aston Villa have completed the signing of left-back Ian Maatsen from Chelsea.
The 22-year-old has signed a six-year deal and moves to Villa Park for a fee of £37.5m.
Maatsen had a £35m release clause which expired earlier this month, allowing Chelsea to negotiate the higher price they agreed with Villa.
Borussia Dortmund were keen on signing the defender on a permanent deal after his successful loan spell with them last season. They made offers but fell short of the original release clause.
He made 16 Bundesliga appearances for Dortmund, scoring two goals, and featured seven times in the Champions League, scoring once.
‘He wants to play in CL’ | How Villa beat Dortmund to Maatsen…
Sky Sports New chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol:
“Maatsen had a release clause in his contract, which Dortmund could have activated.
“That release clause has expired, which meant Aston Villa could make their move and that is exactly what they’ve done.
“It’s crucial that Villa are in the Champions League. The player himself wants to carry on playing in the Champions League.
“It’s a very good deal for Unai Emery’s side. He played so well for Dortmund, helping them reach the Champions League final.”
When does the summer transfer window open and close?
The 2024 summer transfer window in the Premier League and Scottish Premiership is officially open.
The window will close on August 30 at 11pm UK time in England and at 11.30pm in Scotland.
The Premier League and Scottish Premiership brought forward Deadline Day to link up with the other major leagues in Europe. The closing dates were set following discussions with the leagues in England, Germany, Italy, Spain and France.