Chelsea youngster Ian Maatsen to join Burnley on a season-long loan
According to The Athletic, Burnley and Chelsea have reached an agreement with Burnley to send young left-back Ian Maatsen to Turf Mooron a season-long loan.
The youngster joined the Chelsea youth programme in the summer of 2018 after attending the academies of Feyenoord, Sparta Rotterdam, and PSV Eindhoven. In September 2019, the 20-year-old made his senior debut in a Carabao Cup match against Grimsby Town and it remains his only first-team outing to date.
Maatsen began the 2020–21 season on loan at Charlton Athletic and then spent part of the previous summer on loan at Coventry City. The Dutch left-back had a strong season with Coventry, making 42 games and contributing to three assists and one goal. The young player was facing an uncertain future at Chelsea since Thomas Tuchel did not have any plans for him.
Now it is believed that the Chelsea youngster has decided to sign with the Clarets, where he will play for the team led by new boss Vincent Kompany. Maatsen is thought to have rejected offers from other teams and moved to Turf Moor and will now play as a left-back under the former Manchester City captain.
A complete agreement has been reached between Chelsea and Burnley over Maatsen’s season-long loan arrangement. Prior to signing the appropriate paperwork and making the agreement official, the Netherlands Under-21 international is anticipated to depart for the North West on Thursday to finish his medical.
Maatsen is the fifth Chelsea defender who is rumoured to be either leaving or linked with an exit move this summer. Marcos Alonso and Andreas Christensen have already said their goodbyes, captain Cesar Azpilicueta is no stranger to interest from Barcelona, and now Maatsen is expected to follow suit and return to his own country.
No more worries exist than there already were, though. Maatsen was not even close to being considered for a position on the first team, so the harm has not increased. A return to Maatsen’s home country is probably in his best interests as well.
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Maatsen is well regarded within the club despite not having distinguished himself for Chelsea’s first team. The 20-year-old may be looking for an opportunity at Stamford Bridge next year if he performs well while out on loan at Burnley because he still has two years left on his contract.