Fabrizio Romano says Chelsea transfer has been 'authorised' as 'special' player travels for medical
Chelsea are said to be closing in on their next transfer after some tough negotiations.
Chelsea are finally close to completing a deal to sign one of their key transfer targets after a couple of weeks of negotiations. The Blues were busy early in the summer window, snapping up Liam Delap, Joao Pedro and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens in the opening weeks of the window, but there has been no incoming action since.
Noni Madueke left to join Arsenal, and while Chelsea have been busy trying to add to their squad, they haven’t been as efficient as they were in the first few weeks of the summer.
Enzo Maresca still has a number of areas he wants to improve ahead of the new season, and one of those areas is centre-back. Chelsea have plenty of options at the back, but they need another starting calibre centre-back to compete with Levi Colwill, Wesley Fofana and Trevoh Chalobah.
Ajax defender Jorrel Hato quickly emerged as the player Maresca wants to add to his defence, with the 19-year-old fitting the club’s recruitment strategy of being a young player with a big ceiling. But signing Hato has been no easy task, with Ajax well aware that their talented young defender is a valuable asset, with the 19-year-old the youngest player to have ever captained Ajax in a game.
The youngster is also a Netherlands senior international, and Ajax were said to be holding out for around £42million. In the end Chelsea have managed to strike a deal in excess of £34million.
Fabrizio Romano has posted: “BREAKING: Jorrel Hato to Chelsea, here we go! Deal in place with Ajax for fee in excess of €40m. Hato will sign long term deal at Chelsea as he only wanted to join #CFC this summer. Medical and travel set to be booked for talented defender. Jorrel Hato has been authorized to travel to London for medical tests and then he will sign 7 year deal at Chelsea. Fee worth €43m plus sell-on clause. Jorrel Hato’s contract at Chelsea will be valid until June 2032 with an option for further season. Personal terms, agreed 10 days ago.”
It’s unlikely Hato will be an instant starter at Chelsea given the experienced players Maresca has at his disposal, but he should be plenty capable of competing for regular football as he continues his development as a young player. Hato will likely link up with Chelsea for their first day of pre-season training, which will be on August 4, with the Blues returning later than usual due to their FIFA Club World Cup participation.
Former Ajax boss John van 't Schip once said of Hato’s talent: “[He's] special in the sense that he has been able to stand his ground for so long and that he continues to reach such a high level. Of course, he is still a young player, the youngest one, who still has a lot to learn, but if you look at what he brings, the way he defends, the way he can play football forward, he has a great future ahead of him."
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