Chelsea complete transfer of Ajax wonderkid Jorrel Hato

Jorrel Hato has officially joined Chelsea on a seven-year deal

Chelsea have officially announced the arrival of former Ajax wonderkid Jorrel Hato.

The Blues reportedly paid €43 million for the 19-year-old Hato, who joins Chelsea on a seven-year contract.

Jorrel Hato made his Ajax debut in February 2023, when he was 16 years, 10 months, and 23 days old, thus becoming the fifth-youngest player to appear for Ajax in club history. Hato would go on to become the youngest captain in club history, as well as the youngest player in club history with at least 100 appearances.

The left-footed defender ended his spell in Amsterdam with 111 appearances behind his name. Hato scored four goals and provided 10 assists for the Amsterdam giants.

Hato's fee of €43 million made the Rotterdam-born defender the fifth most expensive player in Ajax history, tying Mohammed Kudus's fee when the Ghanaian star left for West Ham.

Hato joins a Chelsea side that won the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup last season. The Blues will feature in the UEFA Champions League for the first time since 2023, when Real Madrid knocked Chelsea out in the round of 16.

Hato will compete with Marc Cucurella for the left-back spot, but can also play in the heart of the back line. There, he'll have to compete against the likes of Levi Colwill, Wesley Fofana, Tosin Adarabioyo, Trevoh Chalobah, and Mamadou Sarr.

Jorrel Hato's first chance of appearing for Chelsea will be on August 8th, when the Blues host Bayer Leverkusen in a friendly at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea open their Premier League season on Sunday, August 17th, with a home game against Crystal Palace.