“I’d love to come back to the summer. Why not?" - On-loan Chelsea star's comments about a potential return to current club comes to light

Chelsea ace Ian Maatsen has started his spell at Borussia Dortmund excellently and has left the door open for a return to his parent club. The Dutch international joined the German side this January until the end of the season after failing to nail down a place with the Blues.

Maatsen spent the 2022-23 season on loan from Chelsea at Burnley, and he was named as the best left-back in the Championship. He impressed in pre-season as Blues manager Mauricio Pochettino played him in a number of different positions, earning him a stay with the club.

The plethora of options at the club, plus the preference of the manager for playing Levi Colwill at left-back, meant that the Dutchman saw limited game time. Mauricio Pochettino resorted to handing him minutes off the bench, and he didn't start a game in his preferred left-back position.

The lack of adequate minutes forced Maatsen to accept a loan switch to Borussia Dortmund, and he has impressed in his two games since then. The 22-year-old spoke to Sky Germany about his thoughts on his future, revealing that he is keeping his options open.

He said:

“I’d love to come back to the summer. Why not? But we’ll see what the future brings."

Maatsen made just three starts in his 15 appearances for Chelsea across competitions and had to be content with a bit-part role. The left-back signed a contract extension with the Blues before moving to Germany and has a release clause of £30 million written into his contract.

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Chelsea considering move for new left-back following Maatsen exit

Chelsea are reportedly looking to sign a new left-back this month or in the summer after releasing Ian Maatsen to join Borussia Dortmund on loan. The Blues were well-stocked in the position heading into the season, and they sent Lewis Hall on loan to Newcastle United.

Vice-captain Ben Chilwell has been utilised by Pochettino in a more advanced left winger role. Moreover, he's been mostly injured, making just eight appearances. Marc Cucurella is the only natural left-back allowed to play in the position. The Spaniard picked up an injury weeks ago, which will keep him out of action for a while.

Pochettino has Colwill as his first choice in the position, and there are no other senior options for the former Tottenham Hotspur manager to play. They have been linked with Real Madrid target Alphonso Davies (via The Hard Tackle), who is looking increasingly likely to leave Bayern Munich in the summer.