Barcelona are following Chelsea defender Ian Maatsen as a potential long-term alternative to Alejandro Balde.
That’s according to Sport, who say the Catalans are studying the option of signing a left-back next summer and Maatsen is one of the names on their list.
The newspaper explains that while it is not ruled out that Marcos Alonso will sign a new deal, with his current contract expiring at the end of the season, but the plan at the club is to sign players with ‘maximum projection’ rather than veterans.
The club’s focus at left-back is on Balde but he needs competition in the squad and Maatsen would be a good option, particularly on a free.
They see the Chelsea man as a ‘very powerful footballer’ who can play as a left back and as a winger who proved himself on loan with Burnley last season. He’s someone the club’s scouts have had on their agenda for a while, and they’ve been ‘following him for years’.
Any move won’t be assessed until January, when Barcelona will be more clear about their situation and how they can move in future, but Maatsen is an option, particularly if he doesn’t sign a new deal with Chelsea.
