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The defender is entering the last year of his contract at Elland Road and the Clarets hold an interest in his services
Burnley hold an interest in Leeds United defender Cody Drameh, LancsLive understands.
The Clarets made several enquiries about the right-back over the course of last season, with him having been on Burnley’s radar for a long time. Drameh is entering the final year of his contract at Leeds United and is unlikely to pen fresh terms at Elland Road as things stand.
The 21-year-old has impressed in his two Championship loan spells – firstly with Cardiff City in 2021/22 and then with Luton Town last season, as the Hatters gained promotion via the play-offs. Drameh is now keen to test himself at Premier League level and is attracting interest from top flight clubs, including Burnley.
Relegated Leeds could now lose the defender, with the club manager-less after Sam Allardyce’s brief spell and without a Director of Football. Drameh’s situation could change if Leeds appointed a manager who wanted to make the defender part of his plans – but with Luke Ayling and Rasmus Kristensen on board, a departure for Drameh is the most likely outcome at present.
Burnley are believed to be strong admirers of the player, but whether this summer sees them press on with a move remains to be seen. The form of right back Connor Roberts has been a major plus for manager Vincent Kompany and surely goes into the Premier League season as the club’s first-choice in that position.
Burnley also have the versatile Vitinho in his squad and who can operate on either flank and already acts as back-up to a degree for Wales international Roberts. And Drameh – who is understood to be of interest to Luton and Brentford too – wants to be first-choice next season.
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Just in: Three big reasons why Ian Maatsen should prioritise Burnley transfer return over Chelsea stay
Ian Maatsen is wanted back at Burnley after a successful loan spell at the Clarets from Chelsea.
The 21-year-old established himself as a first choice at left-back for Vincent Kompany’s side as the Clarets sealed promotion back to the Premier League with the Championship title. It was a fantastic campaign for both the player and his loan club.
Burnley have already sealed the permanent acquisition of two of their loan players from last season. Jordan Beyer has joined from Borussia Monchegladbach after a clause in his deal was activated, while Michael Obafemi’s January transfer from Swansea City has also been converted into a permanent switch this summer.
A price tag of £20m has been slapped on Maatsen by Chelsea if they are to sell this summer. Burnley have had a bid of £15m for the left-back turned down by the Stamford Bridge side, according to reports, as they seek the maximum fee possible for the defender.
Where Maatsen will be playing his football when the season starts in mid-August remains to be seen. But here are three big reasons why a move to Burnley over remaining at Chelsea might be in the player’s best interests.
Quite simply, a return to Burnley would be a move to what is now a familiar setting for Maatsen. Having played at the Clarets for a season under Vincent Kompany, it is not a fresh environment or a new manager to play under and he would slot seemlessly back in.
Though he is of course familiar with Chelsea, he now has a new boss at his parent club in the form of Mauricio Pochettino. With that comes the uncertainty of how the Argentine will set up his team and which personnel that will include.
Chelsea are also very well stocked in the left-back position where Maatsen operates. Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella are senior options in the role, while youngster Lewis Hall also broke through and was handed opportunities.
Some of those options may move on this summer and thus present more of a chance of opportunities at Stamford Bridge at Chelsea. But at this moment in time, there is clear and more obvious avenue for first team football at Turf Moor.
Maatsen became first choice left-back for Kompany last season and, as things stand, Charlie Taylor is the only recognised left-back in Burnley’s squad. Should the defender return to Turf Moor, there is the potential for him to slot back into the back four that he occupied for much of last season.
No European football at Chelsea
Chelsea had a dismal Premier League campaign in the 2022/23 season. A total of three managers were in place at Stamford Bridge over the course of the last 12 months including Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Frank Lampard.
The London side ended the season in 12th place and it meant their first finish in the bottom half of the top flight table since the 1995/96 campaign. Pochettino has now been installed as the new boss at Stamford Bridge.
As a result, it means there is no European football in any way, shape or form at Chelsea next season and they will not have the a vastly increased fixture list compared to the Clarets, if at all. With that, it means there is no incentive to remain at Stamford Bridge over Turf Moor in terms of playing in either the Champions League, Europa League or Europa Conference League.
The Clarets and Chelsea will also enter both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup at the same stages next season. Though on paper Chelsea might be tipped to go further in those competitions than Burnley, the Clarets under Kompany reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.
The Clarets will back themselves to make an impact in both competitions and, particularly with favourable draws, could reach the latter stages once again. With no European football at Chelsea, there is no greatly increased fixture list as things stand which gives Maatsen any more chance of game time in London compared to Burnley.
More experience bodes well for future prospects
Maatsen’s Chelsea deal currently runs out in the summer of 2024 and, as things stand, this upcoming transfer window presents the last opportunity for the Stamford Bridge club to obtain a transfer fee for the defender. It is also not out the realms of possibilty that the 21-year-old pens a new deal at Chelsea to reaffirm his future at the club.
Should that be the case and if opportunities for game time remain uncertain at Stamford Bridge, then a move to Turf Moor, even for just another season, might be better for Maatsen’s development than merely sitting on a bench at Chelsea and getting the odd appearance here and there.
Another full season of first-team football and playing regularly will do no harm at all to Maatsen’s development. Crucially, this campaign would also be in the Premier League and show if the player is capable of playing regularly and reaching the required standard at that level.
Not only would a move back to Burnley give Maatsen the prospect of more regular game time, it will also grant him the opportunity to showcase his talents in the Premier League, which he is currently yet to be tested in. A successful second spell back at Burnley may well be more beneficial to his long-term career chances rather than a potential bit-part role at Chelsea over the upcoming 12 months.