Chelsea FC has announced its signing of young Dutch defender Joril Hato from Ajax Amsterdam, on a long-term contract that extends until the summer of 2032, for a fee of 43 million euros.

The 19-year-old expressed his happiness at joining the "Blues" and said in his official statements: "I am very excited and very happy to be here. I thought a lot about my future and realized that Chelsea is the perfect place for the next step in my career."

The club stated: "Hato was born in Rotterdam and began his career at Sparta before joining Ajax Academy in 2018. In 2022, he signed his first professional contract at the age of 16 and quickly caught attention with his performances in the European Youth League and with the Young Ajax team."

He added in his statement: "In February 2023, he became the third youngest player in Ajax's history to play in the Dutch league at just 16 years old, and he ended the season by participating in the Dutch Cup final."

He continued: "Since the start of the 2023/24 season, Hato has become a key player with the first team, playing as a center-back and left-back, distinguished by his strength in duels, ability to build play, and remarkable leadership qualities, having worn the captain's armband at Ajax at the age of 17."

He concluded: "On the international level, he made his debut with the Netherlands national team at the age of 17, and has so far collected 6 international caps, as he led the Dutch youth team in the UEFA Under-21 Championship this summer."