Ajax have quite the history of bringing through some of the world’s best young talent, and Hato looks set to be the next wonderkid to come off the conveyor belt and into an elite European side.
According to a report from The Athletic, Chelsea have made an enquiry for the 19-year-old, who is valued at around €60 million by his current club, although it’s understood a deal could be done for around €40 million.
Of course, Enzo Maresca’s side aren’t the only ones monitoring the young Dutchman. Liverpool are having an impressive summer window, and are also keen on bringing Hato to England, while Real Madrid are hovering.
Is he ready to make the step up, however, and if so, where would suit him best? We take a look at what the future might hold for Hato.
Style of play
Arguably his best attribute is his versatility. Hato is just as capable of playing as a left-back than he is as a centre-back, just don’t expect to see him bombing on down the byline like Liverpool new-boy Milos Kerkes would, he’s more of an invert into the centre of that park type.
He’s remarkably composed for such a young defender, although he has made over 100 appearances for Ajax, so maybe that shouldn’t come as a surprise. Hato has no qualms in taking his time to find the right pass, and more often than not, he does exactly that.
In an era in which ball-playing defenders are a must for any top side, Hato has the quality to become the next big thing in his position. His awareness and timing when making a tackle is also there, so he’s a bit of an all-rounder.
Of course, there is room for improvement but that will come with age. The pace of the Premier League would likely be a huge challenge, he’s also not the tallest, standing at just 5’9”, but you never know, he might be due a growth spurt.
Liverpool, Chelsea, or Real Madrid? Who should he join!?
The most obvious move would be Chelsea. They have a young squad, making it easier for Hato to integrate, but they could also do with some defensive reinforcements despite the billions they’ve spent over the past few years.
He would also likely get the most game time at Stamford Bridge. Wesley Fofana can’t be relied upon, Trevoh Chalobah is still in danger of been sold for some unknown reason, and Marc Cucurella is their only real option at left-back.
If he’s willing to play the long game, however, Liverpool would suit him perfectly. There would be inevitable comparisons to Virgil van Dijk, who at 34, won’t be playing for much longer, but they’re completely different players.
Van Dijk is great because of his physicality, using that to his advantage when on the very odd occasion he actually makes a mistake. Simply put, he’s huge and rapid, the perfect Premier League defender. Once he does hang up his boots, Hato can make the step up, he’ll just need someone next to him who can do the dirty work.
Finally, Real Madrid. It’s unlikely Xabi Alonso side would be willing to splash so much cash on another young defender now that they’ve sign Dean Huijsen, but you can never be too sure.
According to L’Equipe, they’re still in for Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate, and have asked if they would be willing to sell this summer, if not, they want to pull off a deal similar to the one that brought Trent Alezander-Arnold to the Spanish capital, so maybe they want a little more experience.
Verdict
Whether it’s this summer or next, Hato will make the move to one of Europe’s top clubs. Given their recent history of signing young talent, and their abilty to give him first-team chances almost immediately, we think a move to Chelsea would suit him best.