Chelsea have completed the permanent signing of Jorrel Hato from Ajax on a contract till 2032, the club has confirmed on chelseafc.com.
The Netherlands international has signed for the Club World Cup champions on a fee in excess of £34m, which includes a sell-on clause.
Enzo Maresca was keen on strengthening his left-back ranks to ease the load on Marc Cucurella, who racked up 4,346 minutes across 54 matches last season—more than any other player in the squad.
Meanwhile, fellow left-backs Renato Veiga and Ben Chilwell do not feature in Enzo Maresca’s plans and are both expected to depart over the coming weeks.
Hato has long been the club’s key target to strengthen that area, and they have been in talks in recent months to sign the youngster, who has been key to Ajax’s surge, captaining the club at 16 and also playing over 100 games for the Eredivisie giants.
His versatility would be key to Maresca’s plans, as he can seamlessly slot into left centre-back to provide cover when needed.
The formalities to sign him have now been completed, and the Blues confirmed on their official website on Sunday evening that Hato has signed a long-term contract at the club.
‘Excited’
After completing the transfer, the Netherlands international told the club’s website that he is ‘excited’ to sign for the club and cited the ‘big decision’ he had to make to leave family, friends, and culture behind to move to London.
‘I’m very excited; I’m so happy to be here,’ said Hato. 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.’
‘It feels strange to leave everybody in Holland, of course, but for me it’s a new journey with new people in a new culture, a new team, new competitions,’ smiles Hato, with an occasional glance down at the iconic Chelsea crest on his chest.
Hato has already featured in 111 official matches for Ajax’s senior side since breaking into the team at just 16 years and 335 days back in 2023.
His versatility is a significant asset and will now provide added depth and competition to both Cucurella and Levi Colwill, particularly with a demanding Champions League campaign on the horizon.
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