Championship side Coventry City weren't "actively" pursuing a fresh loan move for Chelsea left-back Ian Maatsen despite seeing him shine last season, according to Coventry Live.

The Dutchman spent a temporary spell at the Coventry Building Society Arena during the 2021/22 campaign, with Mark Robins giving him the chance to take a step up the football pyramid following his time at League One outfit Charlton Athletic.

He certainly didn't disappoint in the Midlands despite needing to adapt to the step up, recording 42 competitive appearances for the Sky Blues with 40 of these coming in the league as one of the first names on the teamsheet.

Not only did he ply his trade at wing-back but also in a more advanced position, making him an extremely useful asset for Robins who benefitted from having the 20-year-old as an attacking midfielder with his ability to be a real threat in the final third.

Following Maatsen's departure and Jordan Shipley's move to Shrewsbury Town this summer, the Sky Blues are still in desperate need of addressing this position after failing to make a signing in this area just yet.

Crystal Palace left-back Tayo Adaramola is reportedly on their radar as a potential option - and may now be in pole position to secure his services with Preston North End withdrawing from the race.

The Verdict:

Although Maatsen looks to have secured a second-tier move with the Dutchman undergoing a medical at Burnley, it always looked as though he would be destined for a different club following his time at the CBS Arena.

In fairness, Robins' side will still be looking for promotion next season despite their failure to secure a place in the top six last season so a move to the Clarets may not be a big upgrade from a potential return to Coventry.

However, the project under Vincent Kompany at Turf Moor looks exciting with several defenders already coming in to give the Lancashire side a freshness at the back, though it remains to be seen if Maatsen can force his way above Charlie Taylor in the pecking order.

He would have been a guaranteed starter at the CBS Arena so he may regret making the move to Lancashire if he isn't one of the first names on the teamsheet under Kompany.

From Coventry's point of view though, they were right to focus on other targets if they thought they had no chance of luring him back to the Midlands, because they can't afford to waste time on targets they won't be able to secure.