Despite the attackers stealing the headlines from Chelsea’s 4-1 win over Aston Villa, there was another very promising performance for Jorrel Hato to take away for Blues fans.
Starting in place of a returning Marc Cucurella, Hato put in a commanding performance on the left of defence, winning five of his seven duels.
The Dutchman also completed 55 of his 58 passes, and had a 100% dribble success rate, posing a threat in attack to go with his defensive dominance.
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Chelsea have a tough decision to make on Marc Cucurella’s future
Cucurella came on late, and is almost certainly going to be back in the starting side to face PSG in the huge Champions League Round of 16 tie, although questions over his future are almost certainly on the horizon.
The Spaniard’s current contract with the club lasts another two years, and if they are not willing to offer him a new deal then his value is only set to decrease over the coming seasons.
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Offering him a new big-money deal also comes with its risks. Cucurella will be 28 this summer, and his next contract is likely to be his last significant one.
The decision to keep the defender on with improved terms would go greatly against the club’s mantra since Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali came in, and they will likely be analysing Hato’s performances from now until the end of the season to help make up their minds.
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Jorrel Hato has stepped up for Chelsea
During Cucurella’s absence from injury, another factor that will weigh on the club’s mind, Hato has started the last two games, against top opposition in Arsenal and Aston Villa.
The Dutchman kept Bukayo Saka quiet at the weekend, and backed that up with his display against Villa, setting him up for another start against Wrexham.
There have been signs of a young player needing time to bed in. It is often forgotten that Hato is still just a teenager despite his big-money move from Ajax.
He is showing rapid signs of improvement though, and given the club’s stance on not letting key players enter the last two years of their contract, there are serious questions to be asked regarding Cucurella’s future at Chelsea.
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