Chelsea wonderkid's Blues career is 'over' - Fabrizio Romano

Cameron Smith

• Updated: 12 Feb 2024 06:38 GMT
• 3 min read

Ian Maatsen’s career at Chelsea already looks to be “over”, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, due to a release clause in his current contract at Stamford Bridge.

The Netherlands defender signed a new deal in west London in January, before joining Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund on loan - a decision that looks to have sealed his fate.

Maatsen played just 201 Premier League minutes during the first-half of the 2023-24 season, after turning down a permanent move to Burnley last summer, with Mauricio Pochettino favouring other options.

He has impressed during his opening month at Dortmund, but Pochettino has reportedly not included Maatsen in his future plans at Chelsea, despite Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella’s injury issues.

What has Fabrizio Romano said about Ian Maatsen?

Romano discussed Maatsen’s future on his YouTube channel and admitted: “Let me start by mentioning a player who could really leave Chelsea in the summer transfer window - he already left on loan in January and is doing very well - Ian Maatsen.

“At Borussia Dortmund, [in] his first five games [he’s made] a fantastic impact, doing very, very well. The fans are super happy, the manager [Edin] Terzic is very happy and also people into the club. He provided two assists already, but the quality of the performances are very, very good.

“What they want to do at Borussia Dortmund is to wait until the end of the season and then decide what to do. It’s a loan deal [with] no buy option included, but when Ian Maatsen signed a new contract at Chelsea, before joining Borussia Dortmund, there was a release clause [added] and it’s going to be valid this summer,” Romano confirmed.

“The clause is available and the clause is £35 million (€41m), this is the value. So any club can go there and trigger that release clause for Ian Maatsen. Borussia Dortmund will decide about it in the summer transfer window but, of course, it could be expensive for them in terms of a full-back.

“There are other clubs already exploring that possibility, many clubs really appreciate Maatsen [because] it is not easy to find left-backs on the market. He’s young and talented so many clubs are keeping a close eye on the situation.

He continued: “The feeling is that something between Maatsen and Chelsea is already over in terms of a future. He extended his contract, yes, but with a release clause because the expectation is for Ian Maatsen to leave in the summer transfer window. At least this is the feeling with Pochettino as the manager.

“In case things will change in the future, we will see, but at the moment, this is the feeling. So keep an eye on Maatsen because there is already movement ahead of the summer transfer window,” Romano concluded.