Ian Maatsen in action for Chelsea against Arsenal.
According to Voetbal International (h/t the Sun) Dutch giants Feyenoord Rotterdam are interested in signing 20-year-old Chelsea defender Ian Maatsen, nine years after letting the left-back leave for city-rivals Sparta Rotterdam.
Maatsen moved to PSV from Sparta before signing for Chelsea in 2018 at the age of 16. He has had loan spells at Charlton Athletic and Coventry City, but a crack at the first-team hasn’t come close to happening yet.
His only involvement in the senior Chelsea team so far came in 2019 under Frank Lampard, during a 7-1 League Cup victory against Grimsby Town.
Maatsen made 41 appearances while on loan at Coventry last term, scoring thrice and providing an assist. One of those goals notably was a stunner against eventual Championship winners Fulham.
The Dutch youngster had been a part of Feyernoord’s academy since the age of only 7, before being let go four years later. While he has struggled to break into the Chelsea team, he has shown during his loan spells that he is capable of lasting marathon seasons.
On paper, Maatsen is the fifth Chelsea defender either leaving or linked with an exit this summer. Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen have already said their goodbyes, Marcos Alonso could join Barcelona, captain Cesar Azpilicueta is no stranger to Blaugrana interest either, and now Maatsen is set to follow suit back to his native.
However, there is no more concern than there already was. Maatsen was nowhere close to being considered for a first-team role, so the damage remains the same and not more than what it already was. Maatsen is likely to benefit too from a move back to his native country.
Ben Chilwell is our first-choice left-back while Emerson Palmieri is set to return from his loan spell at Lyon. If Alonso leaves, perhaps Maatsen could have a chance at gametime every now and then in cup games. But it remains to be seen if he would be content with such a role.
If he plays regularly and impresses for Feyernood, that could even put him in contention for a place in Louis van Gaal’s 23-man Netherlands squad for the World Cup later this year. But he needs to make a big impact, and this is going to be his chance should the transfer go through.
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