Chelsea are reportedly on the verge of losing Ian Maatsen, who is set to join Dutch feyenoord this summer.
According to 90 Min, Feyenoord are the firm favourite to sign Ian Maatsen. They are close to finalising an agreement with Chelsea over the summer move for the young full-back. There was no shortage of interest in Maatsen this summer, but it appears Feyenoord have triumphed in the contest.
Maatsen’s apparent move to Chelsea comes in the midst of rumours swirling around the future of Tyrell Malacia. The Feyenoord full-back wants to leave the club in the summer as he looks to take the next step in his career. The young Dutchman was linked with a move to Manchester United, but the Red Devils have fallen behind in the chase, thanks to a late offer from Lyon.
Malacia’s future, nevertheless, is away from Feyenoord, which paves the way for the Dutch giants to snap up Ian Maatsen this summer. The Chelsea prospect is regarded as one of the brightest players in the club’s academy, having enjoyed two back-to-back successful seasons in the Championship.
Maatsen most recently played for Coventry City, racking up 40 league appearances and helping the club achieve a respectable mid-table finish. During his time at the club, the 20-year-old has made a solid impression with his attacking prowess and dynamism out wide.
The Dutchman is gifted with raw pace as well, which hands him a considerable advantage when it comes to making up defensive ground. Such qualities made the Chelsea prospect one of the rising stars in the Championship last term, and with the 2022/23 campaign just around the corner, the youngster is looking to find his luck in the Dutch top flight.
Maatsen’s departure could be a blow for Chelsea, especially at a time when they are likely to lose Marcos Alonso. The former Fiorentina man has become the subject of interest for Barcelona, with the Spaniard even reportedly signing a three-year contract ahead of a potential move to Camp Nou.
Chelsea could look to mitigate the loss by snapping up a new left-back in the market. There have been links with Brighton & Hove Albion star Marc Cucurella, but the former Barcelona youth prodigy favours a move to Manchester City, as he wants to play under the leadership of Pep Guardiola.
It puts Chelsea in a perilous position, as far as their left-back unit is concerned. And with less than two months remaining before the new season gets underway, it will be interesting to see how Tuchel and co. tackle this issue.
