Ian Maatsen has been linked with a move away from Chelsea in recent months, with Barcelona, Manchester City, and West Ham United keen.
Burnley tried to sign Ian Maatsen during the summer transfer window, and they had a bid accepted by Chelsea as well. However, the 21-year-old was not keen on the transfer. A report from TEAMtalk claims that West Ham United and Manchester City are now keen on the player, and they will be in pole position to sign him if Chelsea lets him leave.
The 21-year-old defender is in the final year of his contract with Chelsea, and the Blues are yet to tie him down to a contract extension. Maatsen will be eligible to secure pre-contract agreements with foreign clubs from January, and he will be able to move on as a free agent the next summer. Such a situation has alerted Barcelona.
Losing a player of his quality on a free transfer would be a major blow for the Blues, and they want to secure a contractual agreement with him soon. Keeping him at the club should be a priority for Mauricio Pochettino.
The 21-year-old is a tremendous talent, and he could be a quality option for Chelsea in the coming seasons. The Blues spent a considerable amount of money on Marc Cucurella. But the former Brighton & Hove Albion defender has been quite underwhelming since his move to Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea could certainly use more quality and depth in the left-back department, and Maatsen would be the ideal understudy to Ben Chilwell. The Dutchman is also versatile enough to operate as a left-winger and a creative midfielder.
Meanwhile, West Ham will have to find a quality replacement for Aaron Cresswell, who is in the twilight years of his career. The 21-year-old versatile Chelsea prospect could prove to be an exciting addition. He would get regular game time at the Premier League club, and West Ham might be able to offer him European football as well.
Meanwhile, Manchester City need to sign a specialist left-back they have been using central defenders as makeshift full-backs since the departure of Oleksandr Zinchenko. Maatsen could be a regular starter for Pep Guardiola, and the Spanish manager could help him fulfil his tremendous potential.
The 21-year-old needs to make a decision that will aid his development. He cannot afford to sit on the bench at a big club right now and it will be interesting to see how the situation unfolds. The player has been linked with Spanish giants Barcelona as well. They are one of the biggest clubs in the world, and the opportunity to play for them can be hard to turn down for any youngster.
