Chelsea suffer transfer blow for dream defensive target

Chelsea have already spent over £200m on new players in 2025. They’re not done yet, though. The Blues have been linked with several players and could easily end up spending another £150m before the summer is over. However, they might miss out on one of their top transfer targets. 

According to ESPN.nl, Ajax have rejected a bid from Chelsea for defender Jorrel Hato. The 19-year-old had already agreed to personal terms with the Blues and reportedly wants to leave Ajax for Stamford Bridge.

The report doesn’t say how much Chelsea bid for Hato. Most other sources claim Enzo Maresca’s side bid around £34m. It’s unclear how much Ajax want for the young Dutchman, but it’s believed to be much more than this initial bid. 

“Ajax don’t want to let him go without a fight,” the ESPN report says.   

‘He’s still an Ajax player’

Hato is currently with Ajax in Italy for the Como Cup. He did not feature for De Godenzonen in their first match of the pre-season tournament, a 5–1 win over Celtic. 

Manager John Heitinga says that the defender’s absence was not due to his pending transfer. Both Hato and Kenneth Taylor had been given permission to miss the match for rest since they’d just joined the training camp squad. 

Heitinga would not reveal whether Hato would play in the semi-final against Como on Sunday. “I can’t promise anything. We still have to train, and it’s still a few days,” he said. 

The former Atlético Madrid defender stressed that Chelsea’s transfer interest won’t influence his decision regarding Hato’s availability.

“He’s still an Ajax player,” Heitinga said. 

Hato’s current contract runs through the 2027-28 season, so Ajax are in a strong position to negotiate with any club interested in Hato.

£34m is already a lot of money to spend on an Eredivisie defender, but it’s clear that Chelsea will have to seriously increase their offer if they want to get a deal done.