In the January transfer window, Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino plans to continue making changes by both offloading players and adding new players.
Ian Maatsen, a young defender who made his Premier League debut for Chelsea this season, is expected to be let go in January.
Just four months after turning down the opportunity to leave Stamford Bridge on the last day of the summer transfer window, the 21-year-old is about to sign with Borussia Dortmund. The deal will add to Mauricio Pochettino’s hectic month-long schedule, which will once again see a plethora of arrivals and departures at the team.
The 2018 transfer from PSV to the London club for the Dutch Under-21 international saw him make his senior debut in an EFL Cup match against Grimsby the following year. However, that did not work as a launching pad for regular Premier League football, and a string of loan moves ensued.
He spent entire seasons at Charlton, Coventry City, and Burnley before contributing to the Clarets’ Championship victory the previous campaign. As the summer transfer window came to an end, Vincent Kompany and associates put up a £31.5 million bid for him in an attempt to sign him permanently, but Maatsen turned down the offer.
Since then, he has made 12 appearances in the Premier League this season, most of which have been as a substitute. The Telegraph also claims that advanced negotiations are currently underway with the German side to finalize a deal.
But it’s still unclear if the left-back will sign a long-term contract or go on loan at first. According to reports, Dortmund wants to get rid of him as soon as possible in order to balance their transfer plans with FFP constraints. The Blues would rather see him signed to a temporary contract for the balance of the 2023–2024 season.
Maatsen is reportedly amenable to a transfer as well, despite his manager’s suggestion last month that the player wasn’t quite ready for a spot in his starting lineup.
Pochettino stated: “Young players sometimes they can impress you in pre-season but you need to give them time after to relax.” This is true even though the team activated a clause to extend his contract until 2025. They encounter difficulties occasionally.
He’s a great kid and a member of our squad. He can play a variety of positions and has excellent quality; the key is to give him time. He was from Burnley in the Championship the previous year. With all due respect, there are differences between performing at Chelsea and other competitions.
Due to Ben Chilwell’s injury, Levi Colwill has taken over as the Blues’ starting left back. After a loan stint at Brighton, the 20-year-old was also the focus of summertime rumors, but a move across London never happened.
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