Ian Maatsen signs new Chelsea contract & seals Borussia Dortmund loan
- Maatsen joins Dortmund on a loan deal which does not include a purchase clause
- Left-back has signed a new two-year contract at Chelsea
- Agreement is understood to include a release clause for a future transfer
By Tom Gott
Ian Maatsen has signed a new two-year contract with Chelsea and completed a six-month loan switch to Borussia Dortmund.
The Dutch left-back's original deal was due to expire in 2025 and, with no progress made over a long-term extension, Chelsea opted to field offers for Maatsen, who rejected a £31.5m switch to Burnley during the summer.
As a compromise, Maatsen has signed a new two-year deal which extends his link to Chelsea until 2026, but the contract also includes a release clause which will become active when he returns from Dortmund at the end of this season.
"Borussia Dortmund tried hard to get me," Maatsen said. "I've been following BVB and its fans for a long time and was even at the Champions League game in Manchester in 2022 to see the team live on the pitch.
"I'm very happy that the loan is now worked out. I promise that I will give everything for the team’s success and I’m really looking forward to seeing the Yellow Wall."
Maatsen impressed on loan with Burnley in the Championship last season but declined to return to Turf Moor this year, despite Chelsea accepting a loan offer which included a £31.5m obligation to buy in 2024.
Following that decision, however, Maatsen struggled for minutes. Chelsea have lost both Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella to long-term injuries and yet Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino rarely turned to Maatsen to fill the void.
Centre-back Levi Colwill has been the primary starter on the left this season, while Malo Gusto has been asked to switch flanks at times.
While Maatsen did manage 15 appearances across the first half of the season, he saw just 378 minutes of action, most of which came in advanced roles.
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