The 19-year-old defender was a standout performer for the Dutch side in the 2024-25 campaign, and will soon be lighting up the Premier League
The unrelenting, unrivalled Ajax academy has produced another gem. Jorrel Hato has enjoyed a meteoric rise to prominence since graduating to the senior team just two years ago, following in the footsteps of legends like Ruud Krol and Frank de Boer, as well as the club's most recent defensive success stories, Matthijs de Ligt and Jurrien Timber.
At just 19, Hato already has 111 appearances under his belt for Ajax, and has the potential to reach the very top if he stays on his current trajectory. Now, the Netherlands international has taken the next big step in his promising career, with Premier League giants Chelsea confirming his arrival at the club on August 3 in a deal worth an initial £38 million ($50m).
The newly-crowned Club World Cup champions had already spent around £170m ($231m) on Liam Delap, Joao Pedro, Jamie Gittens, Dario Essugo and Mamadou Sarr in the current window, but it's no exaggeration to say that Hato could be the most important signing of all now that he has also completed his switch to Stamford Bridge.
To explain why, GOAL has taken a deep dive into the defender's development at Johan Cruyff ArenA...