Borussia Dortmund plot move for Chelsea left back Ian Maatsen
Borussia Dortmund may have found one of their main targets for this winter transfer window in the form of Chelsea left back Ian Maatsen. Maatsen initially joined the London side back in 2018 after making the move from PSV Eindhoiven's youth ranks. The player has had numerous loan spells with the likes of Charlton, Coventry and Burnley but has been unable to establish himself as a Chelsea player.
According to reports coming out of the Netherlands, Maatsen is looking for a way out of Chelsea this January in the hopes of finding first team football. Dortmund seem to have become the main archictects behind any potential escape, with the club allegedly having almost agreed personal terms with the player. Chelsea and Dortmund are allegedly working on the deal, with both parties actively pushing for the move to go through.
The potential signing of Maatsen would be a step in the right direction for the club in terms of transfers, as the young Dutchman, currently 21, would bring much needed depth to the club's defense, but also add a bit more offensive flair to the side. Current left back options Ramy Bensebaini and Julian Ryerson are not the most forward thinking players in this position, despite the latter having scored goals and shown that he is indeed capable of progressing the ball. Ryerson's versatility remains his strongest asset, and he alone can't be responsible for creating from this position.
Ahead of the second half of the season, Dortmund will also likely have to navigate a longer spell of games without both Ryerson and Bensebaini, with the former out injured and the latter set to partake in AFCON with Algeria. These aforementioned absences make it imperative that Dortmund bring in adequate quality and depth, which Maatsen would provide.
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While there have been signs of optimism with this deal, the structure of the move is still unclear. Maatsen has a current valuation of 20 million euros which, if the club's financial situation is as tight as previously echoed by Sebastian Kehl, could pose a signifcant hurde. We may know more about the ins and outs of any potential move in the coming weeks as the clubs look to find a pallatable solution for all parties involved.