Chelsea forced to 'postpone transfer' ahead of Tottenham clash after target attended match

Chelsea have put their pursuit of Feyenoord defender Quilindschy Hartman on hold despite the 22-year-old attending one of their recent matches, according to reports. The Blues have been the Premier League's biggest spenders over the last few years and have been widely tipped to splash the cash again this summer.

Hartman is among the players to have been linked with Chelsea after impressing at Feyenoord under incoming Liverpool boss Arne Slot. The left-back position has been something of a problem area for the Blues due to Ben Chilwell's injury struggles and Marc Cucurella not living up to expectations.

It seems Hartman could be a shrewd signing for Chelsea after chipping in with seven assists in all competitions for Feyenoord this season. However, any move to Stamford Bridge may need to wait until at least January after he picked up an injury ruling him out for the calendar year.

A potential transfer is currently out of the question after Hartman underwent surgery on a knee injury, according to 1908.nl. He sustained the problem during Feyenoord's win over Utrecht in March and is now in a rehabilitation process, which is expected to keep him out of action until early 2025.

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It is said that Chelsea have already staged talks with Hartman and were planning to inform Feyenoord of their interest prior to his injury blow. The report adds that a future move to west London cannot be ruled out, with Chelsea still keeping tabs on Hartman ahead of a possible January swoop.

Other clubs in the Premier League are said to be keen on rivalling the Blues for Hartman's signature in the not-too-distant future. It remains to be seen whether a move will be arranged in January, but Feyenoord are under no pressure to sell with the defender tied down until 2026.

Last week, Hartman and his entourage were reportedly in attendance to watch Chelsea play live in the flesh. However, he did not pick the best game to witness as the Blues were thrashed 5-0 by Arsenal in one of their worst results of the campaign.

If the Feyenoord ace ends up joining Chelsea in the future, he will need to compete with several players to earn regular minutes at left-back for the Blues. Chilwell and Cucurella are both expected to remain at Stamford Bridge next season, while Ian Maatsen could have a role to play when he returns from his loan spell at Borussia Dortmund.