‘Chelsea in advanced talks for Jorrel Hato after Liverpool make Marc Guehi decision’
Chelsea may not now face a challenge from Liverpool in their pursuit of Ajax wonderkid Jorrel Hato this summer.
The 19-year-old played 31 of an available 34 games in the Eredivisie last season on his way to making 50 appearances in all competitions under Francesco Farioli.
Despite still being a teenager, this took Hato‘s total career appearances at a first-team level to 111, and the defender has also earned six caps for the Netherlands in that time.
Unsurprisingly, clubs from across Europe are interested in the defender. The 19-year-old provides experience and has the potential to grow further whilst also being a left-footed centre-back, one of the most coveted combinations at any level of football.
Pete O’Rourke told Football Insider in March that Liverpool were interested in signing Hato as a long-term successor to Virgil van Dijk.
However, with the Reds eyeing a deal for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi, the young Dutch defender’s future looks most likely to lie with the Merseyside club’s Premier League rivals, Chelsea.
Chelsea in advanced talks with Ajax for Jorrel Hato
Speaking on the Transfers Podcast, Sunday Times journalist Duncan Castles revealed that Chelsea are leading the race for Hato as Liverpool are focusing on signing Guehi, but no bid has been made yet for the Ajax defender.
He said (24 July, 6:06mins): “My understanding is that Chelsea are most advanced at present, they have been in advanced talks with Ajax this week.
“I do not believe that they’ve made a formal offer for the player as yet, but they lead the race.
“One of the reasons why they are in a particularly strong position is another bit of information that I have, which is that Liverpool have decided to focus their efforts on Marc Guehi.”
This news comes after Castles had previously revealed that Liverpool, Chelsea, and Arsenal had missed out on a cut-price deal for Hato last summer.
Jorrel Hato adds quality to Chelsea backline
Football Insider Verdict
Chelsea have been very, very busy this summer, adding players such as Liam Delap, Estevao, Joao Pedro, and Jamie Gittens to Enzo Maresca’s squad.
However, the West London club’s transfer focus this summer has been heavily weighted towards the offensive areas of the pitch.
Mamadou Sarr is the only defender to have moved to Stamford Bridge, but the Frenchman seems unlikely to feature in Maresca’s plans as a starter just yet.
The approach for Hato represents a desire from the Blues to finally reinforce their backline, potentially giving Levi Colwill a reliable partner at the back, which was an issue last season.
What’s more, the Dutchman’s versatility allows for Marc Cucurella to be rested in less significant matches, which will be a major plus as Chelsea return to the Champions League for the first time in three years.