Chelsea have reportedly placed a £20m asking price on Ian Maatsen, despite the defender having just one first-team appearance.
Chelsea are currently in the process of selling a number of players after missing out on European football for 2023-24 and desperately needing to recoup its finances in order to meet FFP standards.
Mateo Kovacic is reportedly close to joining Manchester City, while Mason Mount and Kai Havertz have been heavily linked with moves to Manchester United and Real Madrid.
However, in order to meet their goal of balancing the books by June 30, Chelsea will need to raise additional funds through sales.
Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, the club’s co-owners, are reportedly open to selling academy graduates, a strategy that would see any exits recorded as pure profit.
Mount, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and Conor Gallagher are now regarded as the most realistic choices via that route, but it looks like Chelsea are hoping to make further strides through Maatsen.
According to the Evening Standard, the Stamford Bridge hierarchy believe they can entice a £20m bid for the left-sided player.
Despite only appearing as a substitute in an EFL Cup fixture against Grimsby Town, Maatsen has only made one senior appearance for the West Londoners.
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But, since then, the 21-year-old has established himself at EFL level, following up solid loan spells at Charlton Athletic and Coventry City with a key season in the Championship with Burnley in 2022-23.
As the Clarets cruised to the title and promotion to the Premier League, the Dutch Under-21 international produced four goals and six assists in 38 starts and one substitute appearance.
While there is realistically a desire to extend Maatsen’s spell at Turf Moor, Burnley cannot afford to satisfy Chelsea’s stated demands.
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