Ajax have admitted they wanted to keep Jorrel Hato until at least 2026 following confirmation of his summer move to Chelsea.
The Netherlands international was unveiled as Chelsea’s eighth summer signing on Sunday evening and he has signed a seven-year contract at Stamford Bridge after Enzo Maresca’s side agreed to pay a transfer fee of €44.2 million.
Following confirmation of Hato’s move to Chelsea, Ajax technical director Alex Kroes admitted: “With Jorrel’s departure, we lose one of our key figures in defence. He is not only a tremendous talent and a great player, but he also has an excellent character and personality.
“Ideally, we would have liked to keep him for at least another year, but we understand that he has now set his sights on this exciting adventure awaiting him in the Premier League.
“We wholeheartedly wish him well with this new challenge, are proud of what he has done for Ajax, and wish him every success in England.”
The Transfers Podcast understands that Ajax initially demanded a fee of €60m to sanction a sale this summer, but they eventually granted Hato’s move to Chelsea for €44.2m after he stated his desire to secure a west London switch.
Jorrel + Chelsea colours = 😍 pic.twitter.com/JvF5pVQGUW
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 3, 2025
Where will Jorrel Hato fit in at Chelsea?
Hato is expected to spend his debut season at Chelsea as the back-up option to Marc Cucurella at left-back.
The Netherlands international initially broke through as a centre-back at Ajax, but the vast majority of his minutes last term came at full-back and reports indicate that Maresca views him as a replacement for the soon-to-depart Renato Veiga.
Hato may also be deployed as a central defender on occasions, although he is likely to be behind both Levi Colwill and Benoit Badiashile in the pecking order during the early months of his Chelsea career.
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