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Chelsea agree deal for Ajax defender Hato

Chelsea agree deal for Ajax defender Hato

BBC News19 hours ago
Chelsea have agreed a fee of around £37m for Ajax defender Jorrel Hato, subject to the Dutch club's supervisory board approval.The 19-year-old Dutchman is expected to sign a seven-year contract lasting until 2032 and will complete a medical, having been given the green light to travel to west London. Chelsea consider Hato a talented young option to add competition to the backline, where he is capable of playing at either left-back or in central defence.Hato made his senior debut for Ajax in February 2023 at just 16 years and 335 days old, making him the third-youngest player ever to feature in an Eredivisie game for the clubHe has made 75 appearances for the Eredivisie side and made his senior debut for the Netherlands in 2023.Ajax have decided to sell him, with a need to raise funds after a two-year hiatus from the substantial revenues of the Champions League. They will return to Europe's top-tier competition this season. Chelsea are believed to be close to finishing their summer business but remain in the market for another attacker, having held talks with the representatives of RB Leipzig's Xavi Simons without making a formal bid. They are also aiming to make further player sales with Christopher Nkunku likely to leave, as well as an openness to sell striker Nicolas Jackson for the right price. There also remains a squad of unwanted players training separately from Enzo Maresca's first team, including Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Renato Veiga, Axel Disasi, Carney Chukwuemeka, Armando Broja and Lesley Ugochukwu.
Who have Chelsea signed this summer?
Hato would be Chelsea's eighth addition to the squad this summer, with their spending so far reaching a combined sum of over £250m, which is balanced by over £150m of player sales.Jamie Gittens - £48m from Borussia Dortmund. The England youth international arrives from the Bundesliga with a growing reputation as a direct, pacey winger capable of unlocking defences.Joao Pedro - £55m from Brighton. Chelsea moved swiftly to secure the Brazilian forward, who impressed in the Premier League with his creativity, link-up play and finishing ability.Liam Delap - £30m from Ipswich Town. A powerful striker with Premier League experience, Delap adds a different profile to Chelsea's attacking options.Mamadou Sarr - £12m from Lyon. The 19-year-old centre-back joins as one for the future, bringing strength and composure in defence after progressing through Lyon's academy.Dario Essugo - £18m from Sporting CP. A highly rated Portuguese midfielder, Essugo is known for his tenacity and maturity, having debuted in Liga Portugal at just 16 years old.Estevao Willian - the Brazil winger joined the Blues from Palmeiras this summer in a £29m deal that was agreed in May 2024.Kendry Paez - a £17m deal to sign Ecuadorian teenager Paez was agreed in 2023 but he has linked up with Chelsea this summer after turning 18 in May.
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The new season of the English top flight is fast approaching, and with that will come the long-awaited return of Fantasy Premier League. As pre-season gives us a glimpse of potential top performers, many players will have already picked their squads for the opening gameweek of the 2025/26 campaign, though even at this stage, new signings and potential injuries might change things. The usual suspects - your Erling Haalands and Mo Salahs of the world - will be among the most popular picks, with history dictating their unwavering ability to rack up points. However, there are plenty of other players across the Premier League who might offer genuine value this season, from breakout stars to marquee new arrivals, with the potential of setting your team apart from the rest in your mini-league. 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Dean Henderson, Crystal Palace - £5.0m One of the better mid-range picks from last year, Henderson has made himself a regular in the Crystal Palace team and is in confident touch. A strong 135 points last year was his second highest tally in five FPL seasons and 11 clean sheets justifies his lower price tag. Budget Enabler Bart Verbruggen, Brighton - £4.5m The price point is the main draw here. A cheaper goalkeeper allows more leeway in choosing the rest of the squad. Only six teams conceded more goals than Brighton last year though Bart Verbruggen managed to keep seven clean sheets. He is a consistent starter so that guarantees points though probably not as many as the more expensive options. Caoimhin Kelleher, Brentford - £4.5m Caoimhin Kelleher could be one of those risky but incredible picks. He was a fine No 2 at Liverpool but must now perform week in, week out after a switch to Brentford. Despite only starting 10 matches last year Kelleher kept four clean sheets. 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His penchant for defensive contributions and strong passing acumen will guarantee him points, and with Villa boasting a pretty favourable run of games at the start of the season, the Spaniard could be a no brainer. Midfielders Premium Mohamed Salah, Liverpool - £14.5m Need we explain more? Mohamed Salah is the FPL GOAT. The Egyptian has never finished a campaign with less than 200 points to his name, and last season broke his own record for most points racked up in a single season - with his 48 goal contributions delivering an eye-watering 344 points to FPL players in 2024/25. Everyone will have him in their teams - but if you choose to be different, you're playing a dangerous game. Cole Palmer, Chelsea - £10.5m Chelsea's talisman endured a tough spell last term when he went 12 league games without scoring a goal. Even with that dry patch, he racked up 15 goals, nine assists, and a whopping 214 FPL points. His output is undisputable, and after tearing European champions PSG apart in the Club World Cup final in July, we're betting his numbers are about to go even higher. Florian Wirtz, Liverpool - £8.5m This one isn't rocket science: Florian Wirtz will play a lot of minutes for the Premier League champions, mainly in the No 10 role, feeding chances to Mohamed Salah, Hugo Ekitike and quite possibly Alexander Isak. Wirtz's 10 goals and 12 assists last season came from only 25 league starts. Repeat that rate of return and he will become an essential for every fantasy manager. Mid-range Anthony Elanga, Newcastle United - £7.0m Anthony Elanga was excellent for Nottingham Forest last season and can now kick on at Newcastle. The winger filled in up front in a recent pre-season friendly with Isak absent, but whatever his role he is likely to be heavily involved in Newcastle's attacking play if he's on the pitch. The only question mark is his minutes, with Harvey Barnes, Jacob Murphy and Anthony Gordon all vying for starting berths. Declan Rice, Arsenal - £6.5m Every FPL needs an affordable Mr Reliable in midfield, and Declan Rice offers just that, with 90 minutes virtually guaranteed every week. But he's more than just a minutes machine: Rice scores, assists and the new defensive contribution points will play massively in his favour, making him the kind of player who can sit in your team all season long. Iliman Ndiaye, Everton - £6.5m If Everton are to improve this season in their shiny new stadium, Iliman Ndiaye will be at the heart of that progress. He has grown into Everton's talisman and when the team scores, Ndiaye is usually involved. He doesn't have much competition for minutes and Everton have some appetising early fixtures to capitalise on. 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Jhon Arias, nicknamed 'The Colombian Pele' by Fluminense fans, had been tearing up Brazilian football before bursting onto the global stage, where he earned a big move to the Premier League. He remains relatively unknown to the average FPL player, however, which means this pick could do wonders in separating your team from the pack. Forwards Premium Erling Haaland, Manchester City - £14.0m An ever-popular choice, Erling Haaland will actually set you back £1m less than last season – the question is, is he still worth the eye-watering price tag after a season of diminished returns for Man City? The Norwegian still racked up 22 goals in 31 appearances last season, plus Mo Salah is a more expensive option at £14.5m. Alexander Isak, Newcastle - £10.5m Alexander Isak is the transfer market's hottest property at the moment and the same can be said for the FPL market. 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