Reported Liverpool target Jorrel Hato has officially completed his transfer to Chelsea this summer.
The versatile Ajax defender signs on a €43m [£37.5m] deal from the Eredivisie runners-up.
Meanwhile, the Merseysiders are still understood to be in the market for a centre-back.
Hato has signed on a seven-year deal keeping him at the club until June 2032.
Why did Liverpool not pursue Jorrel Hato?
It’s hard to be too critical about Liverpool’s transfer business in the summer window. They’ve so far signed an absolute game-changer – to use a term often associated with deals for Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker – and have recruited very well elsewhere.
For instance, fears over the future of the fullback positions were quickly quelled following the additions of Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen) and Milos Kerkez (Bournemouth).
However, one glaring problem position has still yet to be ticked off in the window – the centre-back spot.
To top it all off, there’s yet to be any further movement on the Marc Guehi front. And now, Fabrizio Romano reports on X (formerly Twitter) that Chelsea have gone ahead and snapped up a reportedly admired quantity at Anfield in Jorrel Hato.
Good business from Chelsea but Liverpool still have options
Look, Liverpool aren’t in the business of hoarding players, and it’s worth pointing out that their attentions are focused on another potential game-changer deal for Alexander Isak.
That’s not to suggest we can’t focus on more than deal at a time. Evidently, however, Hato wasn’t enough of a priority to seriously contemplate chucking our hat (complete with Premier League feather) into the ring.
So to London he goes (so much for those ‘direct’ Hato talks, eh?), but that shouldn’t leave Richard Hughes and Co. too disappointed.
The aforementioned Guehi remains an option for Liverpool to pursue in the remainder of the window.
Why Guehi makes more sense than Hato
There’s plenty to like about Jorell Hato, don’t get it twisted, but the Dutchman feels like the kind of signing we go hard for if we fail to sign a new left-back this summer.
The 19-year-old is notably adept at playing at left-back and as a left-sided centre-back (albeit as part of a back three).
Unless we’re prepared to put all our eggs in his basket as a potential Virgil van Dijk successor or auxiliary left-back, it’s probably not our best bet in the market.
Guehi, by contrast, whilst also not a potential successor for our talismanic No.4 can be considered a pretty competent squad option.
The Crystal Palace man could partner our skipper in defence and relieve pressure on Liverpool at a time when Ibrahima Konate’s future remains uncertain.
Put simply, there’s a much higher chance of the Eagles star getting the minutes he’s looking for compared to Hato.
