On-loan Chelsea star to sign new deal until 2027 with £35m release clause
Ian Maatsen has drawn interest from Premier League side Liverpool, and Chelsea are considering selling the left-back in the upcoming 2024 January transfer window.
According to Team Talk, (h/t Express) the West Londoners are set to put the Dutch left-back on sale in the upcoming transfer window after the player rejected a move to Burnley last summer.
It appears the 21-year-old doesn’t have a future at Chelsea, and maybe he is destined to play for other clubs, with the Reds and Manchester City seemingly keen on acquiring him. It is in some ways a baffling decision given the promise Maatsen showed in pre-season.
The Reds are looking to add more depth to their left-back position after an injury to Andy Robertson, with Kostas Tsimikas as their only current senior alternative. Maatsen’s arrival gives their left-back roster more depth, making life easier for Jurgen Klopp and Co. Already familiar with the English game, Maatsen will not need much time to get used to life on Merseyside.
Meanwhile, City have Josko Gvardiol and Nathan Ake, who have been rotated in the left-back area despite being centre-backs. Maatsen’s signing will give Pep Guardiola a natural left-back. Chelsea, though, have Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella at their disposal, but Chilwell’s recurring injuries could backfire if we sell the Dutch player.
Chilwell hasn’t been reliable with his injuries, while Cucurella recently picked up his form. So we will have to be careful when making decisions about Maatsen’s future. Surely, he has shown enough to suggest that considerable minutes are on the offing.
Levi Colwill has started at left back for Mauricio Pochettino in most of his games this season; however, the Argentine manager only switched to a 4-3-3 lineup against Arsenal. Maatsen is a solid left-back, but he hasn’t played there this season, so it’s unclear exactly if he will be able to give competition to Cucurella and Chilwell. Pochettino should give the Dutchman a go before making a decision.
We lost out to our Premier League rivals when we sold Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic, and Kai Havertz; thus, it wouldn’t be wise to sell him to our rivals. Hopefully, Maatsen will have an opportunity to persuade Pochettino with his performance before the winter transfer window opens.
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