Chelsea announced the signing of 19-year-old Ajax defender Jorrel Hato penning the Dutchman to a seven-year contract through 2032 in a deal worth €44.18 million (£38.5 million, $51.2 million)

“I’m very excited, I’m so happy to be here. I thought a lot about my future and wanted to take the next step in my career. Chelsea is the best place for me to do that so I’m very happy,” Hato said in the announcement.

Hato garnered international interest rising through the ranks as a left back for Ajax. The prodigious defender is the third-youngest player to debut for Ajax and has already captained one of the biggest clubs in the world at just 17. He made over 30 appearances in the Eredivisie in each of the last two seasons, winning the Talent of the Year award last campaign. He also has six caps for the Netherlands national team.

Hato joins João Pedro, Jamie Gittens and Liam Delap as notable Chelsea signings this summer as Enzo Maresca revamps his squad heading into his second year in charge. Primarily a left back, Hato made 46 appearances last season for Ajax as the Eredvisie side finished second to PSV Eindhoven. Ajax were also bounced from the UEFA Europa League in the round of 16 by Eintracht Frankfurt.

Chelsea’s total outlay for all signings crossed over €280 million (£244 million, $324.6 million), surpassing last year’s hefty spend with a month of the window remaining.

Multiple clubs were interested in the Dutchman’s services, including Arsenal, but Hato was convinced what step was best for him at this point.

“For sure it was a big decision. I played seven years at Ajax and for me it was home—the people, the players, the coaches, the culture. So it was not easy to leave, but my feeling was that at this moment I needed to make a step to the biggest club in the biggest competitions, and for me this was the right decision at the right time,” Hato said in his first interview with the club’s official website.

Chelsea announced Hato will join up with the FIFA Club World Cup champions this week as he prepares to acclimate himself to his new home. Showing versatility as both a fullback and centre back, Hato could compete for minutes in multiple positions in a side expected to push on after finishing top four and winning both the UEFA Conference League and Club World Cup.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Chelsea Unveil Jorrel Hato Signing, Summer Spending Hits New High.

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