Chelsea youngster Ian Maatsen may need a move away from the club as he is nowhere near the level required thanks to his low numbers this season.
That’s according to journalists Marciano Vink and Kees Kwakman, who were left shocked by what they saw of the defender on international duty this week.
Maatsen is currently with the Dutch Juniors after being overlooked by the senior Netherlands side for this break.
That decision from Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman was hardly a surprising one given Maatsen has barely featured for Chelsea this season.
He returned to the Blues in the summer following a successful loan spell at Burnley last season, where he was a key player under Vincent Kompany as they soared to the Championship title and back to the Premier League.
He had been expected to move to Turf Moor on a permanent basis but that never happened, and he remained at Chelsea, where he finds himself behind both Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella in Mauricio Pochettino’s planning at this moment in time.
That means he’s barely featured this season, something which it seems has not gone unnoticed in his homeland, where they were less than impressed by the level he is currently showing.
“I’m shocked by his level,” Vink said in Voetbalpraat ‘s ESPN.
“The funny thing is he had a good season at Burnley under Vincent Kompany. Then he starts the preparation at Chelsea with a new trainer, Mauricio Pochettino.
“He weighed him and thought he was good enough to keep him. Then I have immediately a certain expectation. I sat down and then I saw a player who played football two tempos too slow.”
“When I have seen Maatsen play for the Dutch Juniors, I do not have the idea that he can quickly make the step to the Dutch national team,” added Kwakman.
“He occasionally comes in for a few minutes. That doesn’t help for such a boy. I think that means that the chance for a place in the Dutch national team is becoming smaller and smaller. He should be loaned out and then play three classes better.”
