Chelsea have signed defender, Jorrel Hato from Ajax in a £37m transfer.
Hato had been linked to several clubs across Europe including Premier League’s Liverpool and Arsenal but Chelsea swooped quickly to sign the 19-year-old for £37m total fee, consisting of an initial £35.5m fee plus £1.5m in add-ons.
Hato has signed a seven-year contract until June 2032 and will be eligible for his competitive debut in the Blues’ opening match of the new season on Sunday 17 August against Crystal Palace, which is set for a 2pm BST kick-off at Stamford Bridge.
“I’m very excited, I’m so happy to be here,’ commented Hato on his future ambitions. “I thought a lot about my future and wanted to take the next step in my career. Chelsea is the best place for me to do that so I’m very happy.”
Hato began his career within Sparta Rotterdam’s academy but moved to Ajax in 2018 where he graduated through their academy and made his senior first-team debut in January 2023, albeit as a second-half substitute in a 2-0 win over Den Bosch in KNVB Cup.
He since scored four goals in 111 senior appearances for Ajax over the last three seasons.
Hato represents Netherlands at international level with six senior caps since his debut in November 2023 as a half-time substitute for Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk in a 6-0 victory over Gibraltar in UEFA Euro 2024 Qualifying,
Leave a Reply