Chelsea look as if they could have another gem on their hands in Ian Maatsen, as the 21-year-old left-back is helping inspire Burnley to promotion from the Championship.
Although Graham Potter already has Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella available to him at left-back, the Dutchman's fantastic performances so far this season suggest that he could be an excellent heir to the Englishman as a starter at Stamford Bridge.
Who is Ian Maatsen?
Chelsea would sign Maatsen from PSV Eindhoven in the summer of 2018 after scouting him for the Eredivisie side and with the U16 Netherlands national team.
After impressing with the Blues' academy sides, the young defender would sign his first professional contract in March 2019 and later made his senior debut when he was just 17, featuring in Chelsea's 7-1 win against Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup.
He has since enjoyed loan spells with Charlton Athletic in League One and Coventry City in the Championship, before returning to the second tier again last summer to sign for Vincent Kompany's Burnley.
During his time at Coventry, the Chelsea youngster would earn a huge amount of praise from teammate Simon Moore, in his interview with The Athletic.
He said:
"In Maats’ case, the good certainly outweighs any bad. It says a lot about how good he is that even a slightly off day stands out as exceptional. It is not normal.
“The kid is bright, he’s hugely talented, he wants to learn, and he never gives up."
He has certainly proven himself as ready to play in the Premier League with his displays at Burnley this season, as the Dutch defender boasts four goals and six assists in 31 league appearances, with WhoScored awarding him a strong 7.04 rating for his performances in the second tier.
With Kompany's side almost nailed on to win the title, it would not be a surprise to see them try to sign Maatsen permanently in the summer but Potter must ensure that he remains at Stamford Bridge, as his performances suggest that he could be the ideal long-term heir to Chilwell.
Could Maatsen replace Chilwell at Chelsea?
The former Leicester City man has struggled with injuries during his time at Stamford Bridge but is enjoying a strong run of form with the Blues at the moment, with two goals and two assists to his name in 15 appearances.
However, he has been linked with a Stamford Bridge exit in recent weeks and Cucurella's disappointing performances since joining from Brighton suggest that the Spaniard might not be the ideal replacement in Potter's squad.
Therefore, with Maatsen showcasing his attacking qualities with the likely Championship title-winners, Potter should look to integrate him into Chelsea's first team in the summer, ahead of what will hopefully be a much-improved 2023/24 campaign for the Blues.