Chelsea defender Ian Maatsen has been called up to the Netherlands squad for Euro 2024 as a late replacement for the injured Frenkie de Jong.
De Jong will miss the tournament after a failing to recover from an ankle issue that saw him miss much of the La Liga run-in with Barcelona. Head coach Ronald Koeman was keen to give the influential midfielder as much time as possible to prove his fitness but a decision has now been made for the 27-year-old to leave the squad.
The Netherlands have called up Maatsen to replace De Jong, after the 22-year-old was initially cut from the provisional squad. Maatsen spent the second half of last season on loan at Borussia Dortmund and featured in the side’s 2-0 defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League final earlier this month.
The defender featured predominantly at left-back for Dortmund, though can also operate on the opposite flank, further forward in wide roles, and in midfield.
His versatility makes Maatsen a sensible option to replace De Jong and the Chelsea player has returned from holiday in Greece to link up with the squad, ahead of their opener against Poland in Hamburg on Sunday. The Dutch will also face France and Austria in a challenging group stage draw.
