Mauricio Pochettino accepted a summer bid for one of his Chelsea stars who could leave for free in less than a year’s time.

Barcelona are allegedly interested in Chelsea prospect Ian Maatsen to enhance their left wing options. Blues manager Mauricio Pochettino might have sold Maatsen for less than £32 million this summer, but he could go for free when his current deal expires in June.

A series of successful loan spells finally convinced Chelsea bosses to give Maatsen his shot at Stamford Bridge this season. Stints at Charlton Athletic and Coventry City were both positive, but it was a successful promotion push with Burnley last campaign that put the Dutchman’s name on the map.

New manager could be confirmed 'this week' & 2 more big Chelsea stories you  might've missed - Football | Tribuna.com

Building on his solitary senior Blues appearance prior to this campaign, Maatsen has already racked up six appearances in the Premier League in 2023/24. He remains on the fringes, however, and his only two starts have come in the Carabao Cup.

The Clarets were so keen on Maatsen that they submitted a summer bid for the 21-year-old, who can play at full-back or further forward on the left-hand side.

Chelsea accepted the proposal, which included a season-long loan and a £31.5 million commitment to buy, but Maatsen declined in order to fight for his future at Stamford Bridge.

Pochettino and his team’s refusal to force him out of the exit door may come back to bite them. Maatsen’s contract expires in a few months, and Sport claims that Barcelona is examining him as a summer transfer possibility at left-back.

By admin

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *