Overview of Every Defender
Chelsea’s significant summer transfer activity appears set to continue as the club is close to finalizing a deal for Ajax defender Jorrel Hato. Previously linked with Arsenal, the emerging talent is reportedly on the verge of joining Chelsea, with transfer expert Fabrizio Romano suggesting that negotiations are nearing completion. The anticipated transfer fee is around €40 million, and the move could be finalized in the next few days.
While Hato’s potential addition is exciting given his talent and promise, fans may remain cautiously optimistic. Despite showing the potential to thrive in the Premier League, Hato joins a club that has spent lavishly on defensive players in recent years, with very few proving to be successful under various managers.
As illustrated in the table above, Hato would become Chelsea’s eleventh defensive signing over the last four seasons. Though at €40 million he won’t carry the pressure of players like Wesley Fofana or Marc Cucurella, who were signed for €80.4 million and €65.3 million respectively, he joins a list of players who have generally struggled to adapt at Chelsea.
Given Chelsea’s challenges with defensive signings, if Hato joins for the reported €40 million, it would elevate the club’s spending on defenders since the summer of 2022 to an astounding €395.2 million. No other club in European football has approached this level of expenditure on defenders during this period, with Tottenham Hotspur trailing behind at €238.8 million. Whether Hato can break this trend remains uncertain, but it seems unlikely that he will be the last defender to arrive at Chelsea this season.
