Chelsea could be about to acquire a very young and talented defender in Ajax’s Jorrel Hato.
It is thought that Hato wants the move to Chelsea, who now need to agree on a fee with Ajax.
Hato‘s development at the Eredivisie club has come along nicely, and Chelsea will have to thank his mentor for that if the 19-year-old arrives at Stamford Bridge.
Hato’s mentor, though, will not be a popular figure among the club’s fanbase for more than one reason.
Jorrel Hato was mentored by Arsenal star Jurrien Timber at Ajax
Chelsea’s Premier League and London rivals Arsenal signed Jurrien Timber back in the 2023 summer transfer window.
However, before then, Timber was at Ajax, where he played alongside Hato. While Hato was always told to use Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk as an example, Timber was the player he admired and learnt from.
In an interview with The Athletic last year, Hato said: “Coaches told me that I always needed to look up to Virgil van Dijk, but when I played in the under-18s, I always looked up to Jurrien Timber.
“I played with him for six months before he left, and I learned so much from him. When I came into the first team, he was my mentor. I love his playing style, his calmness on the ball. And he is just a great defender in defending terms.”
The two could now face off against each other next season, and Chelsea fans will not want to see Hato being too friendly with Timber, but not just because he plays for their London rivals.
Xavi Simons is another compatriot whom Timber may have to take on in the new campaign. As well as Hato, Chelsea are also trying to sign Simons as they look to improve their attack even further.
Jurrien Timber mocked Enzo Maresca during Chelsea’s defeat to Arsenal last season
The last time Chelsea and Arsenal met, it was Mikel Arteta’s side who came out on top. The Gunners beat their London rivals 1-0 at the Emirates.
It was a fixture that saw an exchange between Timber and Enzo Maresca where the latter was mocked as his team headed towards defeat.
As per the Daily Mail, Timber told Maresca to “try harder” during a break in play deep into stoppage time. The exchange ended with a respectful handshake, but Chelsea supporters would have felt that their manager was still disrespected.
Chelsea will be looking for revenge when they next take on Arsenal, and perhaps Hato will be there to help them gain it in a match that could see him come up against a player who has taught him so much.
Receive a digest of our best Chelsea content each week direct to your mailbox
