Borussia Dortmund aim to sign Ian Maatsen permanently but are hesitant to meet Chelsea’s £35 million ($44.7m) valuation, sources told ESPN.
The 22-year-old, who joined Dortmund on loan in January, became a crucial part of Edin Terzic’s team, playing every minute of their seven Champions League knockout matches, which ended in a final defeat to Real Madrid at Wembley last weekend.
Before that game, Maatsen admitted publicly that his future was uncertain.
Sources informed ESPN that Dortmund is eager to keep the full-back in Germany after he made 24 appearances across all competitions, scoring three goals.
Chelsea is looking to generate funds through outgoing transfers to comply with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules and are open to letting several fringe players leave the club, including Maatsen, Romelu Lukaku, and Trevoh Chalobah.
However, sources told ESPN that Chelsea’s desire for a lucrative deal for Maatsen is a major obstacle.
Dortmund is reportedly preparing an initial offer significantly lower than Chelsea’s asking price, likely between £20m and £25m.
Any deal Chelsea wants to include in their 2023–24 accounting year must be completed by June 30. Dortmund is hopeful that this deadline could help them negotiate a lower transfer fee.