Chelsea held informal talks with Ajax over defender Jorrel Hato ‘months ago’ ahead of a potential move in the summer transfer window.
That’s according to journalist Mike Verweij, [via Voetbal Nieuws](https://www.voetbalnieuws.nl/nieuws/1296253/chelsea-sprak-met-ajax-over-jorrel-hato-transfer-voetbalnieuws.html), who says Chelsea have already spoken with Ajax about the highly-rated defender.
Hato is the latest in the long line of youngsters to come through the ranks at Ajax, having joined Ajax Youth in 2018.
Since then he’s played for the U17s, U18s and Ajax II before being handed his debut in the Eredivisie aged just 16 years and 10 months by Johnny Heitinga in February 2023.
The 19-year-old is now firmly established in the first team under Francesco Farioli and has made 47 appearances in all competitions to date, including 11 in the Europa League proper and six games in qualifying.
The Premier League has been keeping an eye on him for a while. Liverpool have often been credited with an interest since Arne Slot’s appointment last summer.
It seems, though, it is Chelsea who have made the first moves, even holding informal talks earlier in the year about the highly-rated youngster.
“It was mainly an informal meeting at the time, but Hato was discussed during that meeting,” explained Verweij about their interest.