London, Aug 4 : Chelsea have announced the signing of Netherlands international Jorrel Hato from Ajax. The 19-year-old defender has penned a long-term contract at Stamford Bridge through to 2032 and will join up with his new teammates this week.

Hato, who He became Chelsea's eighth signing of the summer transfer window, made 31 league appearances last season, scoring twice and providing six assists, to help Ajax secure UEFA Champions League football with a second-place league finish.

Speaking to club's official website, Hato explains why he knew this was the right time to take the next step in his career, why the Blues is the right place to do it.

"I was really thinking about my future and this is what I wanted. I think I will be a good fit for the way Chelsea are playing, so I was sure about taking my step to Chelsea.

"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," said Hato.

Hato began his football journey with local side Sparta before moving to Ajax's youth academy in 2018. He signed his first professional contract in 2022 at just 16 and quickly made his mark in both the UEFA Youth League and for Jong Ajax, the club's reserve side.

That same year, he became the third-youngest player ever to debut for Ajax in the Eredivisie, aged 16, in a match against Cambuur. By the end of the season, he was starting in the Dutch Cup final.

Since the start of the 2023/24 season, Hato has been virtually ever-present in the Ajax side. He is equally as comfortable in the heart of defence as he is at left-back, featuring most often in the latter position during the season just gone. He captained Ajax as a 17-year-old.

On the international stage, his progress has been equally impressive. Hato made his senior debut for the Netherlands aged 17 and has already earned six caps, as well as captaining the Dutch side at the UEFA Under-21 European Championship this summer.

/IANS