Chelsea defender rejects exit after Blues agree deal with Burnley

Posted Saturday, September 02, 2023 by 101 GREAT GOALS

An up-and-coming member of the defensive ranks at Chelsea has rejected a last-minute move to Premier League rivals Burnley, it has been revealed.

The player in question? Ian Maatsen.

For those not aware, left-back Maatsen spent last season out on loan away from Chelsea, honing his craft with Vincent Kompany's Burnley.

And to say that the 21-year-old went on to impress across his time at Turf Moor would be something of an understatement, with the defender's haul of four goals and six assists across 39 appearances having proven crucial to Burnley's eventual Championship triumph.

In turn, it came as little surprise when word was forthcoming this week that, after a failed approach earlier in the summer, the Clarets brass had returned with a fresh proposal, to on this occasion bring Maatsen in on a permanent basis.

CJ Hamilton of Blackpool and Ian Maatsen of Burnley battle for the ball

And, if the latest word stemming from the media on Friday evening is to be believed, then such efforts, initially, appeared set to bear fruit.

This came after Burnley managed to thrash out an agreement with their Chelsea counterparts, for a fee in excess of £30 million.

Just when it looked as though Kompany had his man, however, Maatsen dealt his former club a blow.

As revealed by transfer expert Matt Law, the Dutchman is in fact all set to remain at Stamford Bridge, after turning down the chance to return to Burnley: