Chelsea confirm signing of Crystal Palace player after hijacking move

Their latest acquisition is teenage sensation Jorrel Hato, signed from Ajax in a deal surpassing £35 million. He joins fellow newcomers Liam Delap (22), Jamie Gittens (20), and Joao Pedro (23).

Though still in his teens, Hato has logged over 100 senior matches for Ajax, with standout performances especially in the Europa League.

Renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Hato completed his medical checks yesterday, becoming the newest addition to Chelsea’s youthful lineup ahead of the upcoming campaign.

Under Todd Boehly’s leadership, the club has poured close to £270 million into talent this transfer window alone—yet they’ve avoided signing any players older than 23 ahead of deadline day.

Last season, Chelsea made history by fielding the youngest Premier League starting XI ever (according to OptaJoe). And with negotiations ongoing for RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons and an anticipated approach for Alejandro Garnacho, their team’s age profile seems unlikely to rise.

The Blues continue to target players with major resale potential, recently finalizing a move for Crystal Palace’s exciting attacker Jesse Derry.

The 18-year-old was close to securing a transfer to Germany before Chelsea swooped in to seal the deal and keep him on home soil.

Derry, who attracted interest from eight clubs across Europe, ultimately chose Chelsea—his move confirmed by Fabrizio Romano.

A week later, the club officially announced Derry’s signing, with the England youth international agreeing to a four-year contract at Stamford Bridge.

He had a standout run for England at the Under-19 Euros this summer, following an impressive 2023/24 season at Palace’s Under-18s, where he scored 20 goals and registered five assists in 27 matches.

Derry also broke into Palace’s Under-21 squad last season, but now faces the challenge of earning a spot in Maresca’s senior setup at Chelsea over the coming years.