Chelsea have received a formal loan proposal from Borussia Dortmund for left-back Ian Maatsen but have still to agree the terms.
Chelsea turned down £31.5m from Burnley in the summer and his opportunities under Mauricio Pochettino have been limited this season.
Chelsea have been looking to raise funds by selling him but may now accept a loan with obligation to buy.
Maatsen rejected a permanent switch to Burnley in the summer, after helping the Clarets win promotion to the Premier League while on loan last season.
The Dutchman played 39 games for Burnley in the Championship, scoring four goals and setting up a further six.
Maatsen previously had loan spells at Charlton and Coventry.
So far this season Maatsen has made 15 appearances for Chelsea across all competitions but he has started just once in the Premier League.
The prospect joined Chelsea from PSV's academy in 2018 having previously spent time in the youth setups at Feyenoord and Sparta Rotterdam.
Maatsen's current Chelsea contract is due to expire at the end of next season.