Jorrel Hato, 19, is Dutch wonderkid that Chelsea are backing to be next Van Dijk rather than new Matthijs de Ligt

CHELSEA believe Jorrel Hato will be more like the next Virgil van Dijk than the new Matthijs De Ligt.

When young Ajax star Hato replaced Van Dijk at half time in a Euro 2024 qualifier against Gibraltar in November 2023, he became – at just 17 years, eight months and 14 days – the second youngest player to represent the Netherlands since 1931.

The youngest remains De Ligt, another Ajax wonderkid who had a month less on the clock when he made his Dutch debut in 2017.

But De Ligt has had tough times since his big-money switch from Juventus to Manchester United in 2024.

And it is not only Chelsea who think Hato, now 19, is better equipped to match Liverpool captain Van Dijk’s levels of performance and impact in the Premier League.

He has made no secret of modelling his game from a young age on Van Dijk’s, although he spent most of last season playing as a left-back rather than a centre-back.

Even in the tradition of Ajax producing fabulous young players that goes back more than 50 years, Hato looks like something special.

Only Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch and the legendary Clarence Seedorf made league debuts for the club at a younger age than Hato – all three were just 16.

But while the other two were part of Ajax sides that ruled Europe or at least Holland, Hato has thrived in relative adversity.

Seedorf was in the fabled team that won the Champions League in 1995 before going on to lift it again with Real Madrid and AC Milan.

Gravenberch won three Dutch titles in four years under Erik ten Hag then moved to Bayern Munich.

But Hato emerged at a time when Ajax were having their worst season for 35 years.

After being promoted to the first team and making his debut in 2022/23, he became a regular the following year when still only 17.

In November of the campaign, he beat De Ligt’s record to become Ajax’s youngest ever captain and went on to play almost every minute of the season.

The Amsterdam side’s fifth-placed finish was their lowest since 1990, but Hato was a shining light.

Last season Ajax suffered a different kind of heartbreak as they let slip a lead at the top of the table and ended a point behind PSV.

But Hato was named the best young player in the Eredivisie.

Liverpool’s Dutch trio of Van Dijk, Cody Gakpo and Gravenberch all reacted to his post on social media celebrating the achievement.

The Reds have been following Hato for some time, which makes it all the more surprising that they have allowed him to slip through their hands.

Arsenal, too, were big fans. When Hato broke into the first team, Jurrien Timber was his mentor before leaving for the Gunners in the summer of 2023.

Hato has Timber’s versatility, as well as his calmness and ability on the ball.

But last summer Arsenal signed Riccardo Calafiori, another defender capable of playing at both left-back and left centre-back.

With Liverpool and Arsenal prioritising attacking recruits this summer, Chelsea have swept in to sign one of the biggest young talents in European football.

It will be a wrench for Hato to leave Ajax. His younger brother Elgyn is part of the academy and plays in the same under-14 team as Lennox Heitinga, son of Ajax boss Johnny.

But he was adamant that he wanted to join Chelsea once the world champions made their move, asking to be left out of a friendly against Como as the saga unfolded.

After his experience playing at left-back, Hato may find himself deputising for, or challenging Marc Cucurella in that role.

But in the longer term, he is likely to be a more central figure, one that Chelsea hope will turn out to be their version of two-time Premier League winner Van Dijk.