Ajax star Jorrel Hato might already have been spotted at Anfield this season, but it’s the Emirates where he could soon be landing on his next visit to England. The 19-year-old centre-back was in the crowd in January to watch Liverpool’s 4-1 win over Ipswich, sparking rumours of a move to Merseyside.
Hato later denied the claims. He insisted he was merely at the game as an interested spectator, having been invited by compatriot Ryan Gravenberch. The star has continued to be linked with a move away from the Netherlands, though, having already made 111 appearances for his club at senior level.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal are lining up a £42million bid for Hato, who has been capped six times at senior level. Furthermore, Gazzetta dello Sport have reported that two current players could be on their way to AC Milan, which could fund a move for the centre-back.
The Italian side are said to be weighing up moves for both Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior. Zinchenko, 28, has a year left on his current deal, meaning he could leave for free in 12 months’ time if he’s not sold this summer.
The Ukrainian international has fallen down in the pecking order this season following the emergence of Myles Lewis-Skelly. He was confined to just 15 Premier League appearances, with many of them coming from the bench.
The situation is more complex with Kiwior, as his contract runs until June 2028. Like Zinchenko though, he struggled for game time in the 2024/25 campaign until Gabriel Magalhaes was injured in the later stages of the season.
The Polish centre-back has made 68 club appearances since his move from Spezia two years ago. Both Zinchenko and Kiwior appear to be potential replacements for defenders Theo Hernandez and Malick Thiaw, who have been linked with Atletico Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen, respectively.
Officials from Milan and Arsenal are said to have already met to discuss terms over a double sale. That could pave the way for Hato to become part of Arteta’s recruitment drive this summer, with the likes of Martin Zubimendi and Benjamin Sesko also expected to sign.