Chelsea’s recent summer transfer window saw more mass change as they looked to give the appropriate backing to another new manager.
Enzo Maresca came in, and was given signings such as Pedro Neto, Jadon Sancho and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to try and build on their impressive end to last season.
A number of players departed too, with Conor Gallagher being arguably the most unpopular sale amongst Chelsea supporters.
Ian Maatsen stuck on the bench for Aston Villa after leaving Chelsea
Another player who moved on after years spent at the club is Ian Maatsen. Mauricio Pochettino was not prepared to give him opportunities when he was a first team member in the first half of last season.
Maatsen left for £35m, moving to Aston Villa while Omari Kellyman made the switch in the opposite direction.
Since moving, the Dutchman has made just three Premier League starts, racking up just 446 minutes in his 18 appearances.
| Ian Maatsen appearances | Games | Goals | Assists | Yellows | Mins |
| Premier League | 18 | – | 1 | 2 | 446′ |
| UEFA Champions League | 7 | – | – | 1 | 259′ |
| FA Cup | 2 | – | – | – | 99′ |
| EFL Cup | 2 | – | – | – | 180′ |
Despite being an attacking-minded fullback, he also has just one assist in all competitions.
Chelsea are currently operating with only Marc Cucurella as a natural left-back in the first team squad, after Renato Veiga left on loan in January.
The Portugal international had only been at the club for six months before he decided that he had not been handed enough minutes at the club.
Ian Maatsen left Chelsea because of Todd Boehly
The Chelsea squad is completely unrecognisable now from what it looked like when Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali took over as the owners of the Blues.
Chelsea won the Champions League in 2021, however only Reece James remains from the first team squad, even though it was less than four years ago.
Maatsen’s dad, Edward, said that things were not going well for the left-back since the change of ownership, and he was pushing for his son to stay at Borussia Dortmund, when he was on loan last season.
He said to Voetbal international: “We are working on staying at the club (Dortmund). The clubs must resolve it among themselves. Ian is developing well here and things are not going well at Chelsea since the change of ownership.
“A lot in that club also revolves around money, which sometimes seems more important than the interests of the club. We have more options besides Chelsea and Dortmund, but Dortmund has proven to be a good restart.”
It is fair to say that things have not gone as planned for Maatsen since his departure, and opportunities may well have been more obvious at Stamford Bridge this season under the new manager.
