Manchester City were linked today with Ian Maatsen – and the youngster is a highly regarded player by former Citizens captain Vincent Kompany.
Maatsen was loaned to Burnley from Chelsea last season.
It looked like he would be returning to Turf Moor on a permanent deal.
His parent club Chelsea have agreed to sell him for just under £32m.
But in the end the player decided to stay at Stamford Bridge. City are now reportedly on the hunt for the much-loved Maatsen – and the youngster already has Kompany’s seal of approval.
What Vincent Kompany said about Man City target Ian Maatsen
Last season, Maatsen made 42 appearances for Burnley under Kompany, scoring four goals and providing six assists.
The Etihad legend really captivated Dutchman Maatsen.
And City fans might want to know what Kompany actually said about the talented youngster.
Well, in an interview with Sky Sports in January this year, he said: “Ian does exactly what he has to do.
With his status he doesn’t make the game based on what other players want, but on what he has in terms of skills and tools.
“He is part of a very strong list of players who have done very well for us this season.
The ingredients are always the same. He has to be coachable, in the sense that if things aren’t going well for him we have to be able to tell him and ultimately learn from his mistakes.
He must be willing to work hard, which he is doing great, and to improve.
“It just turns into something we expected it to be. He is a very versatile full-back with a lot of energy and great potential.”
Chelsea are hoping to sign Maatsen to a new contract as he has just one year left.
This is a nice encouragement from Maatsen van Kompany.
He was outstanding for Burnley in last season’s successful promotion bid, and it is clear that he is a young player with a very bright future.
We’ll see if he’s a player City want to pick in the future. Apparently, Pep Guardiola doesn’t rely on traditional full-backs often at the moment.
But it’s possible that Pep will reinvent himself once again, and Maatsen would be an interesting addition.
