Ian Maatsen

[Beard82]

What convincing does he need? 

[eamonn]

How long did he have left on his Chelsea contract? I'm assuming one more season, making him affordable while also being a generous amount for them.

[Sexual Ealing]

I wonder what his National Insurance number is.

[AV84]

If Chelsea are willing to pay 40mil for Duran, how much would they pay for Solanke? He must be worth twice as much.

[lovejoy]

If Duran is going the other way for say £20 million I suggest we bump up both transfer fees by £20 million to create a profit now and spread the extra cost over 5 years. Then keep Luiz.

[RamboandBruno]

My son knows more about European club football than me and says this will be a really great signing. Good enough for me.

[coreyfeldman]

From what I've heard on the pods dortmund fans loved him and were desperate to sign him

[Beard82]

If Duran is going the other way for say £20 million I suggest we bump up both transfer fees by £20 million to create a profit now and spread the extra cost over 5 years. Then keep Luiz.

Why 20m first 1bn players - job done - and we can all forget about this stupid balance sheet bollocks

[Tuscans]

🚨🟣🔵 More on Ian Maatsen. Aston Villa have already started initial talks on personal terms.

Six year deal offered, details to follow on Thursday with formal proposal being sent to player’s camp.

Chelsea will receive £37.5m fee if all goes to plan on player and #AVFC side.

[SoccerHQ]

Be a really good signing if this comes off. Was fantastic at Burnley, excellent half season at Dortmund and we do need a younger option at LB.

Think we'll be seeing Moreno head back to Spain before the start of next season.

[PeterWithesShin]

There go our jokes now

Maatsen had a £35m release clause in his Chelsea contract, but Villa have agreed to pay slightly more in order to secure a more favourable payment schedule.

[cdbearsfan]

From what's been posted online elsewhere, the release clause only applied if the buying club was Borussia Dortmund and had, in any case, expired.

I seem to recall we gave Coventry more than the release clause for Dublin to see off interest from Blackburn, which was amazingly un-Douglike.

[Percy McCarthy]

From what's been posted online elsewhere, the release clause only applied if the buying club was Borussia Dortmund and had, in any case, expired.

I seem to recall we gave Coventry more than the release clause for Dublin to see off interest from Blackburn, which was amazingly un-Douglike.

Can we pay him to stop being a pundit?

[PeterWithesShin]

Surely if Blackburn offered a release clause and Dublin wanted to go there, what we offered is irrelevant. I don't recall any release clause for him though.

[cdbearsfan]

I think they offered the release clause of £5 million, he preferred Villa, Coventry preferred not to sell to us. We eventually paid £5.75 million. He was regularly booed by Blackburn fans when we played them afterwards.