Dortmund in negotiations with Chelsea over permanent transfer of Ian Maatsen; initial bid falls short
Borussia Dortmund wants to sign Ian Maatsen on a permanent basis but are unwilling to pay the £35 million asking price that Chelsea want.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Maatsen’s move is regarded as a stumbling block, with Dortmund rumoured to be preparing an initial bid of around £25m.
The 22-year-old joined Dortmund as a loanee in January with his future uncertain but quickly established himself as a crucial component of Edin Terzic’s squad.
The full-back made 24 appearances in all competitions, scoring three goals and appearing in all seven Champions League knockout matches, culminating in last weekend’s final defeat to Real Madrid at Wembley.
Chelsea is aiming to recover money through departing transfers in order to comply with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR)
The Blues are ready to let a number of marginal players leave, including Maatsen, Romelu Lukaku, and Trevoh Chalobah, this summer.
Any transaction that Chelsea wants to include in their 2023–24 financial year must be completed by June 30, and Dortmund are hoping that the potential deadline would allow them to negotiate a lesser transfer fee.
Reports from GiveMeSport claim that German heavyweights Bayern are also keen on signing Ian Maatsen from Chelsea this summer.
The 22-year-old star is under contract with Chelsea until 2026, and with rising demand for him, the Blues are evidently keen to sell the left-back as he would be a pure profit sale.
The Bundesliga giants are expected to make a second and improved bid since their first is likely to get knocked by or prepare for alternate measures.
Their initial bid, which is £10m below the release clause for the talented Dutchman, is far lower than the ask but serves as a great first negotiation
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The £35m-rated talent has the potential to justify the outlay in future seasons and will be of outstanding long-term value.
Maatsen is already performing at a high level and will only improve with instruction and experience.