Aston Villa’s best starting XI following Ian Maatson’s move

Aston Villa were one of the most successful teams in European football last season, finishing fourth in the Premier League and qualifying for the 2024/25 Champions League.

The Lions’ success is down to astute work in the transfer market, excellent management by Unai Emery and a string of outstanding individual performances, such as Ollie Watkins becoming one of the best strikers in Europe.

Aston Villa were promoted to the Premier League in the 2022/23 season under Emery, introduced one of the best young wingers in the world in Moussa Diaby, and progressed further to enter the Champions League.

Villa are once again active in the transfer market and are filling another need in the squad, with the BBC’s Nizar Kinsella reporting that the club have agreed a £35-40m deal for Chelsea left-back Defender Ian Maatsen, signed the Dutchman for $6.

After an outstanding 2023/24 season on loan at Borussia Dortmund from Chelsea, several clubs expressed interest in signing Matheson this summer, with the 22-year-old playing a key role in Germany’s run to the finals effect.

Dortmund can’t meet Matheson’s £35m release clause, but Aston Villa can – and it looks like they may need to spend a little more to tempt him.

Here’s how Villa fare with Ian Maatson as part of the squad under Unai Emery.

defense

Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez

LB Ian Mattson

CB Paulo Torres

CB Ezri Konsa

RB Marty Cash

The final piece of the Villa Park defensive puzzle has yet to come together, with Villa able to use another centre-back and possibly another right-back in place of Matty Cash.

However, Ian Maatsen at least has a role for the Lions, and Maatsen can provide more help on offense while also playing hard on defense.

Matheson has a pass completion rate of nearly 90% in the Bundesliga and averages around 2 tackles per game. In the Champions League, he averages around 4 tackles and interceptions per game combined.

The young full-back has the physical attributes to match the Premier League and should be seen as an upgrade at left-back, better suited to the changing game than Villa’s 2023/24 options.

midfield

Enzo Barrenechea

John McGinn

Matthias Saul

Douglas Luiz left Juventus, but instead of snapping up limited Weston McKennie, Aston Villa snapped up Juventus’ top prospect midfielder Enzo Barrenechea.

Unai Emre technically prefers Barrenechea, a little-known player who has impressed during his loan spell at Frosinone in the 2023/24 season, despite his brilliance being overshadowed by Juventus are overshadowed by another Aston Villa target, Matthias Süle, who is on loan at Frosinone.

Ideally, Süle would join Barrenechea as a playmaker in midfield, although a healthy Jacob Ramsey wouldn’t be a bad option either.

Ideally, 23-year-old Bareneche would not start in his first season at Aston Villa, but if his development goes well, he has the potential to start for the club.

attack

Leon Bailey left wing

Moussa Diaby right wing

Ollie Watkins Forward

Attack is Aston Villa’s strength and the only change that could improve the Lions’ performance would be a new left-winger to compete with Leon Bailey.

Of course, Bailey is one of the best wingers in the Premier League, scoring 10 goals and providing 9 assists in the Premier League last season. Ollie Watkins and Moussa Diaby are two of the best attacking players in European football and their place in the starting XI is unquestionable. Aston Villa don’t have any players they can really sign as an upgrade for either of them.