Chelsea are open to listening to offers for Ian Maatsen in January as they aim to trim their squad amid potential new arrivals.
According to The Telegraph, Ian Maatsen could leave in January as Chelsea are open to offers for the 21-year-old defensive prospect. The former Burnley loanee has yet to perform to the required levels, but the club might only sanction a loan deal to retain his valuation.
During the summer, Chelsea had a lot of offers for some of their fringe stars, especially those from their academy. The Blues had some FFP-related troubles, which saw them make considerable sales, such as Kai Havertz and Mason Mount.
They also considered offers for Trevoh Chalobah and Ian Maatsen, with Burnley agreeing a deal for the latter, who helped them immensely in the Championship in the previous season. The 21-year-old defensive prospect did not want a repeat of the last campaign, as he wanted to stay and fight for his place.
Chelsea have used him sporadically this season, but there’s a lot of chatter around his long-term future, with Manchester City and Liverpool among those showing an interest. Chelsea are aware and does not want to let him leave on the cheap, especially to one of their direct rivals.
They are planning a new deal, which Maatsen is open to signing soon. Despite talking about extending his stay at Stamford Bridge, there are no guarantees about his future, as the club would like to retain his value differently.
With that, they could sanction a loan move for Maatsen and are open to offers for the 21-year-old defensive prospect. They are also considering sales of other stars, having placed a £30 million tag on Armando Broja, with some clubs keen on the striker in January.
Chelsea also vies to trim their squad before the January window, anticipating new stars to arrive. The idea surrounding the following window would align with bringing new players that improve the first team and find opportunities for those discarded by Mauricio Pochettino.
Maatsen falls into that category, with Chelsea well-stocked on that side of the defence. Marc Cucurella and Ben Chillwell are their current left-back options, with Pochettino unlikely to bring in more players. Hence, Chelsea are in an excellent place to loan out Maatsen or sell him if a sizeable offer arrives for the academy graduate.
