Chelsea reach Jorrel Hato agreement with Ajax with defender to join on seven-year deal
The Netherlands international, 19, will travel for a medical after the approval has been given.
The Athletic reported on Monday that Chelsea were closing on a move for Hato with personal terms already in place.
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Hato has made 111 first-team appearances for Ajax after coming through the Dutch club's youth setup after beginning his career at Sparta Rotterdam.
He has captained the side and operated at both left-back and in the centre of defence and is set to join Marc Cucurella, Malo Gusto, Levi Colwill, Benoit Badiashile, Trevoh Chalobah and Wesley Fofana as options for Enzo Maresca in those positions at Stamford Bridge.
Hato has been capped six times at international level with the Netherlands having previously being a regular at youth level.
Chelsea have enjoyed another busy summer with Liam Delap, Joao Pedro and Jamie Gittens all arriving alongside Estevao Willian, Dario Essugo, Mamadou Sarr and Kendry Paez, who had all previously agreed to move to west London.
Goalkeepers Kepa Arrizabalaga and Djordje Petrovic have departed as has winger Noni Madueke and Joao Felix, who has made a permanent exit to Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr.
Analysis by Andy Jones and Mark Carey
Hato is one of the hottest defensive prospects in Europe, having played regularly for Ajax for the last two seasons.
Graduating from the Ajax academy, he is technically gifted and confident in possession. He is used to being in a ball-dominant side and he is not afraid to be adventurous with the ball at his feet both through dribbling or using his passing range. For context, only PSV Eindhoven's Richy Ledezma posted a better pass completion rate than Hato's 89 per cent among Eredivisie full-backs last season.
At such a young age, he is still growing into his body and that will only benefit him defensively, an area he is good in but has room to improve — he is a solid one-on-one defender, reads the game well but does not dominate aerially.
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