Aston Villa's summer transfer window is starting to click into gear, with the deal to sell Douglas Luiz to Juventus – crucial to adhere to PSR rules – moving along and sights now being turned toward bringing in fresh faces.
While the Midlands club aren't out of the woods yet in relation to PSR, the cogs are indeed starting to shift, with Unai Emery set to welcome Chelsea left-back Ian Maatsen to the fold.
It's been reported that a deal worth in excess of £35m has been put in place and a six-year contract presented, addressing a key area of concern.
Ross Barkley is also headed for Villa Park but more, excitingly, is still to come.
Aston Villa transfer news
According to French journalist Sebastien Denis, Aston Villa are "extremely interested" in signing OGC Nice centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo, albeit competing with outfits like Bayern Munich and Juventus for his signature.
The Frenchman had been closing on a transfer to Manchester United but shared ownership between the Premier League club and Les Aiglons precludes completion under UEFA rules, opening the door for Villa.
Valued at £40m by other reports, Todibo would be a relatively affordable signing with qualities that make him tailor-made for success at the upper end of the Premier League – and indeed in the Champions League.
Why Villa are interested in Jean-Clair Todibo
Todibo fell by the wayside at Barcelona, signed on a free transfer aged 19 in 2019, but he has been rejuvenated since returning to his homeland, with once teammate Aaron Ramsey claiming in 20234 that he "can go all the way to the top."
The 24-year-old is technically sound, athletic and imposing (standing at 6 foot 3), but his ball-playing ability and creative spark make for the true locus of his power, ranking among the top 12% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 9% for shot-creating actions, the top 15% for progressive passes and the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.
His distinctive skill set would slot into the purposeful progression system sculpted under Emery. Ranking 16th in the Premier League for long passes last year, moves are made with sharp direction and flow, shaped by the high defensive line that congests central midfield space and often overpowers opponents.
Todibo would flourish in that regard, especially given that he's such an impressive physical performer, remarkably averaging 7.1 ball recoveries per game in Ligue 1 last season.
To put that in perspective, Tottenham Hotspur's Micky van de Ven, widely regarded as one of the most robust defenders in the Premier League, averaged 5.3 per game. Arsenal's William Saliba? 5.6 per outing.
The Ligue 1 star, furthermore, kept 14 clean sheets from 30 league matches last term, with his 90% pass completion rate, 1.9 tackles per game and 59% duel success playing a big part in the success.
He's even been described as a "Rolls Royce" of a defender who "likes to begin phases of play" by journalist Antonio Mango, and with such an exciting playing style, he could be the perfect defensive partner for Maatsen.
Why Jean-Clair Todibo would be perfect for Maatsen
Maatsen enjoyed a tremendous loan spell with Borussia Dortmund during the second half of the 2023/24 campaign, starting 16 Bundesliga matches and completing 89% of his passes, also posting two goals and two assists.
The 22-year-old has been credited for his work rate out of possession, tirelessly working toward helping his team and progressing the play down the left flank. Consider Villa's naturally high line and how Maatsen could find success in this regard, pushing forward and supplemented by the threaded deliveries of Todibo.
The Lions often shift into a lopsided positional structure when in possession that sees the right-sided full-back tuck in, something that makes Ezri Konsa such an interesting option out wide, and the left-back pushed further forward, mimicking the duties of a winger.
Maatsen ranks among the top 9% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored per 90, so there's an obvious reason why he'd be such an effective outlet in this set-up, but his aforementioned athleticism would be the more suitable yardstick for analysis.
Whatever the point of discussion, there are plenty of reasons why Maatsen will make a positive impression at an Aston Villa side that has convinced him to sign given the offer of Champions League football.
This, too, could be crucial in tempting Todibo – who has been hailed as the "complete package" by Kulig too – to link up in the English Midlands. Emery will need to convince such players that his team are not to be a 'one-season wonder', a frustrating and blinkered term but one that would surface in different formats were Villa to suffer a regression next season.
Juggling PSR, effectively replacing Luiz and bolstering various shelves in the first-team squad is no small feat for Monchi and Co, but Aston Villa look set to succeed if their recent transfer activity is anything to go by.
It is an exciting time indeed to be a Villan.
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