Chelsea are reportedly demanding £30million for the sale of Ian Maatsen despite his distinct lack of football this season. The 21-year-old has been used sparingly by Mauricio Pochettino, who could sanction his exit during the January transfer window.A raft of injuries opened the door for Maatsen to make his mark on the Chelsea first team this campaign. Or so he thought, at least, as Pochettino has restricted him to just 12 Premier League appearances, with 11 of them coming from the bench.In total, the youngster has managed just over 200 minutes of league action this term. His peripheral status in the Blues’ squad is highlighted by the fact he has banked more minutes in the Carabao Cup, where he has started twice en route to the semi-finals.According to the Evening Standard, Borussia Dortmund have held talks with Chelsea regarding a possible January deal for Maatsen.The Londoners want £30m to let him go, having accepted a £31.5m loan-to-buy proposal from Burnley in the summer which Maatsen turned down. But Dortmund are unwilling to meet Chelsea’s demands.The German giants are keen to pursue a loan arrangement so that they can spread the cost, but Chelsea may need to raise funds from player sales to stay within the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules.Having signed from the academy of PSV Eindhoven as a fresh-faced teenager, Maatsen made his senior Chelsea debut at just 17 years of age.He had to wait a long time for his next appearance, however, embarking on loan spells to Charlton Athletic, Coventry City and finally Burnley, with whom he earned promotion to the Premier League in 2022/23 before returning to Stamford Bridge.
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