Chelsea have announced the signing of Netherlands international Jorrel Hato from Ajax.
Hato penned a seven-year contract that will see him remain at the Stamford Bridge until 2032.
The 19-year-old will join his new teammates in training this week as they begin preparation for the new season.
‘I’m very excited, I’m so happy to be here,’ Hato told the club’s official websitee.
‘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.
“I think I will be a good fit for the way Chelsea are playing, so I was sure about taking my step to Chelsea.
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“This was for me the right time to make a big step, to come to the Premier League, to come to Chelsea. And now I’m here.”
Born in Rotterdam, Hato began his football journey with local side Sparta before moving to Ajax’s youth academy in 2018. He signed his first professional contract in 2022 at just 16 and quickly made his mark in both the UEFA Youth League and for Jong Ajax, the club’s reserve side.
That same year, he became the third-youngest player ever to debut for Ajax in the Eredivisie, aged 16, in a match against Cambuur. By the end of the season, he was starting in the Dutch Cup final — a testament to his rapid rise.
He was still 16 when he became the third-youngest player to debut for Ajax in the Eredivisie in a game against Cambuur in February 2023. He finished the campaign starting in the Dutch Cup final.
Since the start of the 2023/24 season, Hato has been virtually ever-present in the Ajax side. He is equally as comfortable in the heart of defence as he is at left-back, featuring most often in the latter position during the season just gone.
Hato is strong in the tackle, comfortable carrying the ball forward and has leadership skills that bely his age. He captained Ajax as a 17-year-old.
