Aston Villa get unwanted transfer interest as pressure to sell players grows after fine

Aston Villa's left-back Ian Maatsen is on the radar of Italian club Atalanta. The 23-year-old Dutchman, who transferred from Chelsea to Villa last summer in a deal potentially worth £37.5million, is not being actively marketed by Villa, as he continues to vie with Lucas Digne for a starting position in Unai Emery's squad.

However, Atalanta may struggle to put forward a bid substantial enough to make Villa reconsider. Last July, the Midlands team was hit with a £9.5m fine for violating UEFA's financial regulations, putting them under pressure to generate funds, leading to the reluctant sale of midfielder Jacob Ramsey to Newcastle.

Maatsen's contract at Villa Park extends until summer 2030, and it seems more probable that fellow full-back Alex Moreno will leave before the transfer deadline, following his loan period at Nottingham Forest.