Barcelona wants to sign Chelsea defender

Barcelona is closely monitoring the performance of Chelsea's left-back, Jan Maatsen, and is planning to secure his services next summer. The Dutchman's contract conveniently expires at the end of the season, yet negotiations may commence as early as January, enabling the Catalan club to secure a pre-contract agreement and acquire the player on a free transfer, as reported by the Spanish publication Sport.

During the summer, Chelsea received an offer from Burnley for Maatsen's transfer, but the defender chose to remain with the West London club. Despite making eight appearances for the "Blues" this season, he still has to contend for a place in the starting lineup.

Jan Maatsen joined Chelsea in 2018, embarking on a series of loan spells at Charlton, Coventry, and Burnley. Out of the fifteen matches he played for the "Blues," he featured in the starting lineup only five times.

Whether Chelsea and Maatsen will accept Barcelona's terms before his current contract expires at the end of June remains uncertain. However, at just 21 years of age, the prospect of joining Barcelona may be too enticing for the Dutch player to decline.