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…
Where it all began
On March 7, 2006, Jose Mourinho's Chelsea were 15 points clear of Manchester United at the top of the Premier League, a Liverpool side containing Steve Finnan and Jermaine Pennant had just knocked a young Lionel Messi and Barcelona out of the Champions League and, most crucially for this profile, Jorrel Hato was born in Rotterdam.
Despite his talent, Hato somehow slipped through Feyenoord's net and instead ended up signing with the city's secondary club, Sparta Rotterdam. He did not stay there long though, switching to Ajax's youth academy in 2018.
The move required some consideration from Hato, with the defender later reflecting: "At the time, I had to think about it for a while because I was comfortable at Sparta. [At Ajax], fortunately, I was well taken care of and could immediately be myself."
In 2022, after impressing through the age groups, he was handed his maiden professional contract – a life-changing event that kept him awake with excitement the previous night. "I knew I was going to sign my contract. My sleep was not optimal as a result, but I am super happy," he beamed.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesThe big break
Hato got his first-team breakthrough towards the back end of the 2022-23 season. After enjoying a few cameos off the bench earlier in the campaign, he would end up starting Ajax's final six Eredivisie games. With nothing left to play for – Arne Slot's Feyenoord had the league title sewn up by that point – blooding the youngster made sense, but his position in the first team was far from guaranteed for the following season.
However, a hectic summer in Amsterdam changed that; chaos is a ladder after all. Mohammed Kudus and Edson Alvarez were sold to West Ham for sizeable sums, with 12 players arriving in the other direction. The key piece of business from Hato's perspective, though, was Timber joining Arsenal.
This freed up a starting spot in the backline, and Hato made sure he did everything he could during pre-season to secure it. When his side's Eredivisie opener against Heracles rolled around, there he was at the heart of defence. Any doubts over whether he was ready to become such a key piece for Ajax were addressed that afternoon, with Hato seriously impressing. He even chipped in with an assist – albeit only a five-yard sideways pass before Jakov Medic thumped one in from long range.
AFPHow it's going
Hato soon became indispensable for Ajax in what was a hugely testing campaign for the Dutch giants. Amid a backdrop of boardroom chaos and controversy over the signings of sporting director Sven Mislintat – who replaced the disgraced Marc Overmars – their horrendous start to the season saw them drop into the relegation zone in October and manager Maurice Steijn paid the price with his job.
Throughout all of this turmoil, Hato was the one constant. He even became Ajax's youngest-ever captain when interim boss John van 't Schip handed him the armband for a Europa League clash against Brighton in November. "[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," Van 't Schip told reporters. "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. We don't have to do a lot because he is an exemplary professional."
In recognition of Hato's prodigious club form, Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman then handed him a maiden senior cap against Gibraltar in November, and praised the defender's "bravado" after the 6-0 European Championship qualifying win. The 2023-24 campaign ultimately ended in major disappointment for Hato, who was powerless to prevent Ajax from slumping to a fifth-placed finish in the Eredivisie and subsequently missed out on a spot in Koeman's Euro 2024 squad, but he bounced back in the best possible fashion last term.
Hato registered eight goal contributions as Ajax re-emerged as title contenders after the appointment of new permanent head coach Francesco Farioli. The four-time Champions League winners ultimately finished second to PSV after a shocking late collapse, but Hato was named Eredivisie Talent of the Year, which was a fully deserved consolation prize that acknowledged how consistent he had been in both defence and attack for Farioli's side.
AFPBiggest strengths
Hato's emergence from the youth academy proves that when it comes to forging the next generation of global stars, few clubs do it better than . The teenager is very much of the Ajax mould.
Technically sublime and possessing a football IQ that defies his tender years, Hato is the archetypal modern defender. He has no issue breaking the lines with his passes and relishes pushing into midfield to help his side's build-up. This is reflected in the 89 percent passing accuracy he registered in the Eredivisie this past season, while he is also averaged over four progressive passes per 90 minutes.
Hato's ability to carry the ball is even more impressive. His quick feet and coolness under pressure helped drive Ajax's resurgence under Farioli, who felt the Dutch ace made "great strides" forward in all aspects of his game.
Indeed, defensively, there is a lot to like about Hato, too. He reads the game brilliantly and boasts impressive powers of recovery due to his turn of pace. Farioli has also described Hato as a "lion" in one-v-one situations because of his bravery, but he does not go out looking for tackles, preferring to choose his moments to dispossess attackers.