Chelsea have been put on red alert as Barcelona are interested in swooping in for one of their upcoming stars in 2024 according to a report.
Mauricio Pochettino had to navigate a tricky summer transfer window for Chelsea as he went about rebuilding their squad and 2024 has been tipped to be just as hectic.
Chelsea are still keen to add to their squad in the upcoming window as Pochettino will be keen to address some of the issues which have arisen this season.
While more players are expected to sign for Chelsea in 2024, they could also lose a few stars of their own. The future of Ian Maatsen in particular has been up in the air of late.
Maatsen himself rejected a move to Burnley this summer, despite the Clarets agreeing a £31.5million deal with Chelsea.
As the full-backs deal with Chelsea expires next summer, the club have been in talks with him over a new contract. However, an agreement has not yet been struck which has added more fuel to the fire.
If Chelsea cannot agree on a new contract with the 21-year-old then they will look to sell him at the next opportunity which will be the January transfer window.
Plenty of Premier League sides have already registered an interest in the 21-year-old and Chelsea have recently been made aware of the interest coming from Spain.
Barcelona join the race
As Maatsen’s contract renewal continues to rumble on, the club will consider selling him in January. However, they will be aware that Maatsen can negotiate a pre-contract with an overseas club ahead of a free transfer next summer.
This is where Barcelona comes in. According to Sport, the Spanish giants are interested in signing the Chelsea star next summer as they go in search of Marcos Alonso’s long-term replacement.
Alejandro Balde is considered the first-choice left-back under Xavi, but the Spanish boss is looking to add some competition to this department.
Of course, Chelsea won’t want to lose Maatsen on a free transfer but their hands could be tied in this situation. If the 21-year-old decides against renewing his contract at Stamford Bridge, he will be free to negotiate a pre-contract with Barcelona in January.
Under Pochettino, Maatsen has showcased his versatility as he can play as a left-back or further forward into midfield. His attacking threat is obvious to see and Barcelona will no doubt value this sort of skillset.
The 21-year-old was involved with 10 goals during his loan spell with Burnley last season as he played a key role in Vincent Kompany’s side achieving promotion.
So far this season, the Dutch full-back has been used as a squad player as the majority of his minutes have come from the bench.
Pochettino seems keen to keep him around, but he may be forced to sell the upcoming star if he doesn’t commit his long-term future to the club.