Chelsea have secured the signature of Ajax defender Jorrel Hato for £37 million, marking their eighth addition of the summer. The Netherlands international has committed to a seven-year contract after completing his medical in London over the weekend.
The 19-year-old expressed his excitement about joining the Premier League side, saying, “I’m thrilled to be here. I’ve thought carefully about my next step and believe Chelsea is the right club for my development.”
Rapid rise from Ajax academy to european football
Hato emerged through Ajax’s renowned youth system and became a first-team regular at a remarkably young age. He made his senior debut at 16 and was handed the captain’s armband by 17. Over his time in Amsterdam, he featured in 111 matches across all competitions.
Internationally, Hato debuted for the Dutch national team in 2023 in a match against Gibraltar. Since then, he has earned six senior caps for the Netherlands.
Versatile option for Maresca’s defensive plans
Although Chelsea currently have seven centre-backs in their senior squad, only Benoit Badiashile and Levi Colwill are naturally left-footed. Badiashile’s involvement last season was limited due to a hamstring issue, and Colwill was the only left-sided centre-back to feature regularly.
Hato offers flexibility in defence, having operated both centrally and on the left. While he spent most of the 2023–24 campaign at left-back under Ajax manager Francesco Farioli in a 4-3-3 setup, he previously played primarily as a central defender in a 4-2-3-1 system. With Ben Chilwell no longer a regular and a Champions League campaign ahead, Hato is expected to provide additional depth at both positions.
Remarkably, among players born after 1 January 2003 in Europe’s top six leagues, Hato has logged the most playing time since the start of the 2023–24 season — 8,347 minutes — surpassing the likes of Jude Bellingham and Lamine Yamal.
