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Jorrel Hato: Should Chelsea fans be worried about €44m summer signing?
Tom Weber
- Updated: 22 Oct 2025 14:34 BST
- 4 min read
News
Former Chelsea defender Jeffrey Bruma has urged patience with rarely-used summer signing Jorrel Hato, insisting that the Blues 'have a plan' for the Netherlands international.
The 19-year-old arrived to significant fanfare at Stamford Bridge in the summer, joining from Ajax in a €44 million deal after establishing himself as one of Europe's biggest prospects.
Hato had been a regular starter and occasional captain for the Dutch giants at age 17, and Chelsea fended off interest from Arsenal and others to secure his signature. However, so far, Hato has only seen limited minutes.
Current ETV
Jorrel Hato
D (L)
Chelsea
Jorrel Hato
D (L)
Chelsea
ETV Range
€50.7M - €61.9M
The youngster has pretty much only been afforded game time of late because of Chelsea's injury crisis, with head coach Enzo Maresca previously questioning the player's suitability for his defensive setup. When Levi Colwill tore his ACL, it was suggested that Hato could step in for the England international.
Maresca bluntly dismissed this idea, believing that Hato, who is capable of playing centrally and at left-back, is not a like-for-like replacement. Due to a lack of options, he has, however, been forced to occasionally utilise him at centre-back in recent games.
Bruma: Chelsea have a plan for Hato
Hato's lack of action in a World Cup season has led to consternation in his native Netherlands, but former Chelsea defender Jeffrey Bruma insists that people need not worry about the teenager.
“They have a plan for him,” the now-retired Netherlands international told NOS. “They bring in young lads at a steady pace. You see that with Hato, too. He’s gradually getting more minutes. Hato has absolutely nothing to worry about.
“They’re not paying such a large sum for nothing. They see him as a pillar for the future. He’s not a player for now, but he is for the coming years. He was Ajax’s youngest-ever captain and had been a driving force for several seasons.
Bruma compared Hato's arrival at Stamford Bridge to his own in 2007, aged 15. "I was brought in for the future for Chelsea’s first team. Hato needs to be patient. He’s at such a big club and needs to gradually get more minutes.”
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