The perfect Chelsea and Aston Villa summer swap transfer deal that makes absolute sense

And so, the dance continues. Chelsea and Aston Villa circle each other like a pair of exotic birds in mating season, peacocking and prancing, warbling and gesticulating, waiting for one to grit their beak and make their move. Over the past few days, reports involving the two clubs have been rife, with suggestions that the Blues are closing in on a swoop for nemesis of the spellchecker Jhon Duran. In return, it is understood that Villa could look to prise Conor Gallagher away from Stamford Bridge in a deal that most Chelsea fans would likely categorise as ‘bad’.

But never fear, for it gets more entangled still. According to a piece published at high noon on Sunday by Football Insider, the Villans are also said to be considering a potential raid for Ian Maatsen, the Dutch Jadon Sancho, deemed surplus to requirements by his parent club last season, only to be shipped out on loan to Borussia Dortmund and make it all the way through to a Champions League final.

The suggestion is that Dortmund have baulked at the £35 million release clause written into the wing-back’s contract, and that Villa could step in to table a bid of their own. While transfer chiefs at Villa Park are said to be reluctant to cough up the full amount of Maatsen’s asking price, Unai Emery is very much eager to add another left-back to his squad as he gears up for a Champions League campaign next season, and talks between the Villans and Chelsea are supposedly happening on a daily basis.

What’s more, Maatsen himself is said to be very open to the prospect of leaving Stamford Bridge for good this summer. Despite having only inked a contract extension that runs until 2026 in January, there is a growing feeling that a departure could suit both player and club - although it remains to be seen how flexible Chelsea will be with regards to that aforementioned release clause.

That being said, perhaps there is a way that both clubs can be satisfied with minimal financial outlay. You see, according to various simmering reports, Chelsea are expected to pay somewhere in the region of £42 million for Duran; it doesn’t take a Mensa member to notice that his valuation is pretty similar to Maatsen’s. Is there a way, then, that some sort of swap deal could be engineered? Would Maatsen plus £7 million be enough to tempt Villa into an agreement, or do the pressures of Profit and Sustainability Rules mean that the full compensation of a transfer fee is an absolute must?

Only the relevant pencil pushers and purse string wranglers will know for certain, of course, but at the very least, it could be something to think about. After all, why spend all summer wiring zeroes back and forth, back and forth, when both clubs could simply cut out the middle men and wrap things up in one fell swoop. Then again, maybe they are enjoying their little courtship so much that they want to drag things out as long as they possibly can...