Chelsea left back Ian Maatsen has joined Charlton Athletic on loan for the season.
The Premier League transfer window is closed, but players can still move back and forth to Football League clubs until midnight tonight, and Maatsen has dropped down to the Championship for his first loan.
It’s a long awaited one – he’s been starring in the youth teams for years now, and even got a senior debut from Frank Lampard last season.
After the success that his Development Squad predecessor Jay Dasilva had at the Valley in the same position, hopes will be high that 18 year old Maatsen can make a similar impact.
The only shame is that the purchase of Ben Chilwell puts a major long term obstacle in his path in terms of breaking into the first team at Stamford Bridge.
There’s no doubt it was necessary to upgrade our options there – it’s just a shame that Marcos Alonso couldn’t have kept up his good form for another season or two until Maatsen was ready to play first team games.
