Chelsea are closing on the acquisition of Jorrel Hato from Ajax in a deal that could exceed €40 million to strengthen their defence.

According to The Athletic, Chelsea are on the verge of signing Jorrel Hato from Ajax. The deal for the teenage defender could exceed €40 million and represent a solid acquisition that drastically improves Enzo Maresca’s backline in at least two positions.

Jorrel Hato is no stranger to Premier League links, but this summer, he could be making the move to the English top flight. The teenage defender with over 110 senior appearances for Ajax has excelled as a left-back but is equally capable of playing centrally.

He was tracked by Arsenal since January 2024, and the north Londoners recently linked again with he defender. However, they have gone on to sign Cristhian Mosquera from Valencia while planning to continue with KJakub Kiwior in their squad, which effectively ruled out a move for the 19-year-old Ajax star this summer.

Chelsea were advancing on the deal for Hato over the last few days, having opened concrete talks with Ajax. Now they are on the verge of signing the 19-year-old for a fee that could exceed €40 million. With the arrival of the Dutch defender, the Blues can potentially strengthen two areas with one signing.

Personal terms were already in place, as it seems like a matter of time before Chelsea agrees a fee with Ajax and gets the deal over the line. He will represent one of the many signings the Blues have already made this season, as he joins high-profile stars like Joao Pedro, Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens.

Jorrel Hato will be a hit at Chelsea

Enzo Maresca had wanted to address some of the defensive deficiencies in his current squad, and the arrival of Hato will immensely help strengthen the backline. For instance, they lacked a clear cover for Marc Cucurella, with the 19-year-old primarily playing as a left back, which will add plenty of competition for the Spaniard.

Meanwhile, there’s also a need to add competition for Levi Colwill, which Hato could significantly do when he arrives at Stamford Bridge. Overall, the 19-year-old will become a key player starting with the upcoming season, as there’s plenty of minutes to be shared between the left centre-back and left-back positions.