Ian Maatsen

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Brilliant. Maatsen will be a great signing who I expect to share the left back position with ideally Digne who is better defensively. He seems like an upgrade on Moreno.

[Beard82]

I think people need to lower their expectations about players from our academy (or at least poached to augment it) and their capacity to make it. We've produced 2 in the past decade good enough for it. One went for £100m, the other will hopefully be back raring to go in August. They are few and far between.

"Think", "might", "maybe" won't keep us in the Champions League, but it can fund others who will and allow us to comply with rules.

I "think" (sorry) the other thing is that its timing for players as well.   Ramsey got amble opportunity because we were rebuilding when we came up.  Grealish had years of us being substandard to help him establish himself and "mature".

Neither would have the luxury of it they were coming into the squad now.  This combined with FFP meaning that you would be crazy not to sale home grown players, means this is what well need to get used to until FFP changes

[Dante Lavelli]

European games offer an opportunity for players coming through.  I know the format has changed but there’s often dead games.  The champions League will be a big ask but either of the other competitions will offer ample opportunity.

We just need to maintain ourselves at this level.

[AV84]

I would hope we can at least manage to be in contention for the playoff stage of the CL "group" stage, which should mean no dead games.

[rougegorge]

I think people need to lower their expectations about players from our academy (or at least poached to augment it) and their capacity to make it. We've produced 2 in the past decade good enough for it. One went for £100m, the other will hopefully be back raring to go in August. They are few and far between.

"Think", "might", "maybe" won't keep us in the Champions League, but it can fund others who will and allow us to comply with rules.

Yes, there was nobody really coming through before Emery arrived, let alone now. Despite a promising set of players who won the Youth Cup a few years ago, none of them have really come through to the first team squad and our better young players seem to be ones we have bought from other clubs anyway. Should our Academy be doing a bit better in providing players who are going to play for us, rather than just get sold on?

[Percy McCarthy]

I think people need to lower their expectations about players from our academy (or at least poached to augment it) and their capacity to make it. We've produced 2 in the past decade good enough for it. One went for £100m, the other will hopefully be back raring to go in August. They are few and far between.

"Think", "might", "maybe" won't keep us in the Champions League, but it can fund others who will and allow us to comply with rules.

Yes, there was nobody really coming through before Emery arrived, let alone now. Despite a promising set of players who won the Youth Cup a few years ago, none of them have really come through to the first team squad and our better young players seem to be ones we have bought from other clubs anyway. Should our Academy be doing a bit better in providing players who are going to play for us, rather than just get sold on?

I don’t know about that. I bet Mark Harrison is the most popular bloke at the club amongst the hierarchy right now.

[Tuscans]

🚨💣 Ian Maatsen to Aston Villa — here we go! Medical completed & all details of contract agreed, 6 year contract!
@FabrizioRomano
 #avfc

[Matt C]

Big signing. Two or three more of this calibre next month and we’ll be in good shape.

[paul_e]

Big signing. Two or three more of this calibre next month and we’ll be in good shape.

It is clearly the biggest signing so far (assuming everything completes as expected) but I don't think the lads from Juve are miles behind him. Those 3 are great young players to add to the squad. What I like is how many U23 players we now have around the squad, it means we should be well set for a good few years.

[AV84]

I assume we won't be passing the green training top to Maatsen for a photo until after the Euros.

[pablo_picasso]

On its own merit, this is a superb signing.

I am absolutely delighted that he is coming & with Iling-Junior in front of him, thats a lot of pace, a lot of forward running & a lot of crossing into the box.

I cant wait.

[Risso]

🚨💣 Ian Maatsen to Aston Villa — here we go! Medical completed & all details of contract agreed, 6 year contract!
@FabrizioRomano
 #avfc

Is that the longest contract we've ever given a player?

[Toronto Villa]

🚨💣 Ian Maatsen to Aston Villa — here we go! Medical completed & all details of contract agreed, 6 year contract!
@FabrizioRomano
 #avfc

Is that the longest contract we've ever given a player?

We’ve never given a 6. Plenty of 5’s over the years including current players. Thank fuck really given some of dross we’ve given 4’s and 5’s to.

[AV84]

Makes sense going 6 with someone like this who is young and potentially going to be brilliant. Gives us a fair bit of control if someone "bigger" comes knocking in a few years. I'd be worried if we were giving 6 year deals to the likes of Barkley though.

[Goldenballs]

We gave Given a 5 I think, fucking bonkers.