Mauricio Pochettino, the Chelsea manager, may be grateful to Vincent Kompany for presenting the Blues with a new midfield option ahead of the upcoming Premier League campaign. With the recent departures of N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic, who moved to Al-Ittihad and Manchester City, respectively, Chelsea currently faces a shortage in the central midfield department.
According to reports, Chelsea is actively pursuing a move for Brighton playmaker Moises Caicedo to enhance their midfield options. However, their two previous bids have been turned down by Brighton. The Seagulls are holding out for a fee of approximately £100 million. It got influence from the recent nine-figure transfer fee of Arsenal for Declan Rice. Despite the interest from Chelsea, Brighton is not under any immediate pressure to sell Caicedo. Since, he signed a new contract with the club in January.
If Chelsea is unable to secure the signing of Moises Caicedo before the summer transfer window closes, they may consider experimenting by giving Ian Maatsen a chance in midfield if opportunities arise for the Dutchman to feature at the first-team level. Although Maatsen is naturally a left-back, he has the versatility to play as a midfielder and has demonstrated his capabilities in that position during some of Chelsea’s recent pre-season friendlies.
The 21-year-old Maatsen is famous for his versatility. He played in various positions during his time in Chelsea’s academy. Last season, he had a successful stint with Burnley as they clinched the Championship title. Maatsen featured in 42 games across all competitions for the Clarets and showed significant development under the guidance of Vincent Kompany, who spoke highly of him when asked about his contributions in January.
What did Kompany say about Maatsen and how can he be useful to Chelsea?
Kompany said:
“He’s part of such a very strong list of players who have done really well for us this season. The ingredients are always the same. He’s got to be coachable in a sense that when he’s not doing well we’ve got to be able to tell him and eventually learn from his mistakes.”
On Thursday, Pochettino hinted that he might be willing to give Maatsen the chance to shine at Chelsea next season. He expressed his admiration for the defender’s ability to adapt swiftly to various positions. Thus, indicating that he sees potential in utilizing Maatsen’s versatility in the team.
Chelsea manager said:
“I am so happy with him. He’s a player that can play in different positions. He understands the game, he is such a clever player. So far he is in my plan. I am so pleased with him, I told you before, I am so pleased because he is a player whose attitude, commitment and understanding of the game, we can use in different positions. That is a good thing for the team and for a coach. It is good to have this type of player.”
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