After helping Borussia Dortmund secure a spot in the 2023-2024 Champions League semi-finals, Ian Maatsen has declared to Chelsea that he does not want to return.

Ian Maatsen is currently on loan at Dortmund from Chelsea until the end of the season. The Dutch defender recently had a memorable and crucial moment in his career when he scored his first-ever Champions League goal, helping Dortmund come from behind to defeat Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals.

Maatsen’s impressive performances at Dortmund have led many Chelsea fans to call for the club to keep the 22-year-old and utilize him in the upcoming season. However, Chelsea supporters may be disappointed as Maatsen himself is no longer interested in returning to The Blues. According to German media reports, the Dutch player has informed Chelsea that he wants to stay at Dortmund long-term.

On the other hand, Borussia Dortmund also plans to make Maatsen’s loan move permanent at the end of the season. With a buyout clause of around 35 to 40 million euros for Maatsen, this deal should not be too difficult for Dortmund, especially considering the club will pocket over 100 million euros in prize money alone for reaching the Champions League semi-finals, not to mention ticket revenue from this prestigious tournament.

Meanwhile, Chelsea has been looking to offload Maatsen for some time. Last summer, Chelsea even accepted a 35 million euro offer from Burnley, but Maatsen declined to commit long-term to Turf Moor, despite his significant contribution to helping Kompany’s team gain promotion to the Premier League.

Following the victory over Atletico Madrid, Maatsen told CBS Sports: “I once had the belief that I would play for Chelsea but unfortunately, for many reasons, it did not turn out as expected. Now I am here and very grateful to Dortmund for giving me this opportunity. Today I can say that I am very proud of myself. I believe I can play football at the highest level.”