Chelsea have completed the signing of highly-rated Ajax defender Jorrel Hato for £37m.
The 19-year-old Dutch international has signed a seven-year contract, becoming the club’s eighth summer signing.
A versatile player who can operate at both left-back and centre-back, Hato expressed his excitement, saying, “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.”
Hato’s signing addresses a need for a left-sided defender, as the Blues only have Levi Colwill and Benoit Badiashile as natural options in that position.
The teenager’s ability to play at left-back also provides competition for Marc Cucurella.
The defender’s career has been marked by early success, debuting for Ajax at just 16 and captaining the team a year later.
He has already accumulated six caps for the Netherlands and boasts more playing minutes than any other player born after January 2003 in Europe’s top six leagues since the start of the 2023-24 season.
Hato joins a list of new arrivals at Stamford Bridge this summer, including Jamie Gittens, Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, Mamadou Sarr, Dario Essugo, Estevao Willian, and Kendry Paez, as Chelsea’s spending surpasses £250m.
