Chelsea Sign Hato in £37m Deal: Teen Defender's Big Move

Jorrel Hato has joined Chelsea from Ajax this summer (Image: Marcel Koch/BSR Agency/Getty Images)

Dutch defender Jorrel Hato has opened up on his move to Chelsea from Ajax this summer.

The Blues have struck a £37million agreement with the Eredivisie side after over a week of intense negotiations. Hato will provide cover and competition for Marc Cucurella at left-back, thereby bolstering a position where the club were notably thin on options.

His versatility also allows him to slot into the heart of defence, giving Blues boss Enzo Maresca another alternative in that department. Hato is Chelsea's ninth acquisition this summer, following Joao Pedro, Jamie Gittens, Liam Delap, Estevao Willian, Dario Essugo, Mamadou Sarr, Mike Penders and Kendry Paez, some of whom joined on pre-contract agreements.

The Dutchman is leaving his home country for the first time, having spent seven years at Ajax and prior to that, honing his skills at Sparta Rotterdam's academy. And the 19-year-old has now had his say on his move to Stamford Bridge which was confirmed on Sunday evening .

"I’m very excited, I’m so happy to be here," he told the club's official website .

"I thought a lot about my future and wanted to take the next step in my career. Chelsea is the best place for me to do that so I’m very happy."

He added: "I think I will be a good fit for the way Chelsea are playing, so I was sure about taking my step to Chelsea.

"For sure it was a big decision. I played seven years at Ajax and for me it was home – the people, the players, the coaches, the culture. So it was not easy to leave, but my feeling was that at this moment I needed to make a step to the biggest club in the biggest competitions, and for me this was the right decision at the right time."