‘Biggest defensive talent’ – Expert gives Jorrel Hato to Chelsea transfer verdict

Chelsea completed the signing of Jorrel Hato from Ajax on Sunday, making the teenager the latest addition to the Stamford Bridge side in what’s been a busy transfer market.

The Blues can be happy with the deal that they’ve struck at €43 million. The Transfers Podcast, powered by FootballTransfers, revealed that Chelsea believe they have a bargain in the young Dutchman, as Ajax’s asking price was far higher.

But what’s the view from Hato’s homeland? Have Chelsea signed another gem or will this be a bridge too far for the youngster?

Jorrel Hato to Chelsea: The expert’s opinion

According to Dutch football expert Milan Keskin, the jury remains out on how much impact Hato will have following his big-money move.

“The departure of Jorrel Hato from Ajax had been coming for a while. Even though he’s only 19, Hato was one of Ajax’s better players last season. So it was really just a matter of time before he made a step up,” Keskin explains to FootballTransfers.

“In the Netherlands, he’s seen as the biggest defensive talent and is expected to become a starter for the national team in a few years. Right now, though, he’s not quite there yet – but that’s not a criticism of his talent. The Dutch squad is packed with top defenders such as Virgil van Dijk, Micky van de Ven, Matthijs de Ligt and Sven Botman.

“What he can bring to Chelsea at this point is still a bit of a question mark. As talented as he is, I’m not sure he’s ready to hold his own there just yet. A transfer to a club like Porto, Aston Villa, Newcastle made more sense.”

Hato still has a trump card up his sleeve, as Keskin explains.

“He can play both centrally and on the left, which could work in his favour. But as a left-back, Hato is a completely different profile compared to someone like Cucurella. He’s much more conservative. I’m not sure if that’s what Maresca’s looking for.”

Hato might, therefore, be used to change up Chelsea’s tactics at left-back, where he primarily played for Ajax last season, or he could revert to his old position more centrally.

While Hato’s potential is obvious, how his time at Stamford Bridge will pan out is less clear.

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