Should Chelsea recall loan star following Chilwell's injury?

Cameron Smith

• Updated: 23 May 2023 08:55 CDT
• 4 min read

Ben Chilwell's World Cup hopes have been ended after he suffered a hamstring injury in Chelsea's midweek Champions League win over Dinamo Zagreb.

The Blues had already confirmed top spot in Group E but consolidated their place at the top with a 2-1 win over the reigning Croatian champions at Stamford Bridge. However, it came with a cost.

Chilwell went down holding his hamstring after accelerating in the final stages of the game, with Chelsea boss Graham Potter revealing: "It doesn't look positive."

READ: From Chilwell to Pogba – a brutal week for World Cup injuries

The results of the subsequent scan was made public on Saturday and confirmed the club's worst fears.

"Results show that Ben has suffered a significant injury and the defender is unfortunately expected to miss the World Cup," it said.

"Ben will now begin a rehabilitation programme with the club’s medical department."

READ: Who is Arsen Zakharyan? Chelsea's transfer target earning comparisons with Kevin De Bruyne

Chilwell's hopes of being on the plane to Qatar have been shattered and he will miss out along with fellow Chelsea full-back Reece James.

The pair also missed a large chunk of last season, with their injuries coinciding with Chelsea falling away from the title race. And it's now left Potter without his first-choice wing-back pairing.

While the World Cup break should provide Chilwell and James with a chance to recover from their issues, there has been no confirmation of the extent of his issue. The Telegraph reports that he could be sidelined for up to three months, although he is not thought to need surgery.

As a result, Chelsea may well consider recalling Ian Maatsen from his loan spell at Championship club Burnley.

Chelsea to recall Maatsen in January?

The young Dutchman spent the 2021/22 campaign on loan at Coventry and his form for The Sky Blues enticed Burnley into agreeing on a deal to bring him to Turf Moor for the 2022/23 season.

And his form since joining Vincent Kompany's side has been impressive to say the least. The 20-year-old has been Burnley's preferred left-back throughout the season, despite being more suited for a wing-back berth, and has notched one goal and four assists in 13 starts so far this campaign.

Maatsen, who joined Chelsea from PSV's youth system in 2018, has played just once for Chelsea's senior side - against Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup - but Potter has shown he isn't afraid to trust youth.

The former Brighton manager has used Carney Chukwuemeka several times since he took over from Thomas Tuchel, while Trevoh Chalobah has become a key player in recent weeks. So, Maatsen could be next.

While Chelsea spent big on Marc Cucurella in the summer, the Spaniard hasn't quite met expectations since arriving at Stamford Bridge, and certainly doesn't look as comfortable as Chilwell in a left-back berth.

Although Potter has frequently used Raheem Sterling and Christian Pulisic as wing-backs at Chelsea, this decision was exposed in the loss to Brighton, with Leandro Trossard and Solly March often left 1v1 against Chelsea's wide centre-backs - namely Chalobah and Cucurella.

As a result, Potter may be persuaded by the idea of recalling Maatsen in order to avoid a similar scenario happening again.

READ: Wesley Fofana injury: Chelsea's transfer options to replace record signing

While Cucurella can play as the wing-back, which would negate the need to recall Maatsen, Chelsea's lack of centre-back depth means the Spaniard is needed in the back three.

Wesley Fofana's injury, Kalidou Koulibaly's fitness troubles and Thiago Silva's age means the former La Masia academy graduate may be forced to play at left centre-back a lot, which could force Chelsea to bring Maatsen back from his loan spell early.

Potter may not deem recalling Maatsen as a priority, but given Chelsea's defensive injuries, the Dutchman could be a useful asset for the Blues head coach.