Jorrel Hato signs, five transfers sealed - Enzo Maresca's dream £200m Chelsea defence revealed

Enzo Maresca and the Chelsea sporting directors are in the process of building a squad that can compete for the major honours next season. The Blues' defence seems to be the next area that is being looked at with less than a month-and-a-half of the 2025 summer transfer window remaining.

Chelsea have already welcomed six new faces to their squad this summer - and one more will follow in Estevao Willian, who featured for Palmeiras in the recently-concluded FIFA Club World Cup, but will team up with the Blues once his holiday is over. Elsewhere, Jamie Gittens, Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, Dario Essugo, Kendry Paez and Mamadou Sarr have all completed moves to Stamford Bridge.

Out of those seven, Sarr is the only defender and the Frenchman could well leave on loan before the summer window closes. At 19-years-old, Sarr is seen very much as one for the future and the 2025/26 campaign may be one where he gets first-team experience elsewhere.

There are several other defenders that could leave Chelsea before the end of the window too. Alfie Gilchrist has returned from his loan at Sheffield United but the 21-year-old's future appears to be away from the Blues. A move back to the Championship could be on the cards for Gilchrist, a Cobham graduate, with several clubs from the second-tier all keeping a close eye on his situation.

Aaron Anselmino is expected to move to Strasbourg on loan, football.london understands, with the Argentine looking for regular senior minutes next season. Anselmino has featured just once for Chelsea's first team since being recalled from his loan at Boca Juniors back in January. Renato Veiga, Axel Disasi and Ben Chilwell are all likely to depart Stamford Bridge before the September 1 deadline as well.

That leaves Chelsea's defender options - whose transfer fees add up to £200million in total - as Levi Colwill, Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, Tosin Adarabioyo, Reece James, Malo Gusto, Josh Acheampong and Marc Cucurella. While Gusto, James and Acheampong have all been used at left-back under Maresca, the Italian would like more balance in his side whenever Cucurella is unavailable or being rested.

That is where a certain Jorrel Hato could come in. Chelsea are interested in signing the 19-year-old Ajax defender, as reported earlier in the week, with the west Londoners considering testing the Dutch club's resolve this summer. Hato can play as a left-back as well as in the centre of defence, meaning he can cover two positions across what is set to be another really long season for the Blues.

Adding Hato would leave Chelsea and Maresca in a much stronger position depth-wise going into the new season. If the Netherlands international was added to the squad, here is how the Blues' defensive arsenal would look:

Right-backs: Reece James, Malo Gusto, Josh Acheampong

Centre-backs: Josh Acheampong, Levi Colwill, Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, Tosin Adarabioyo, Jorrel Hato

Left-backs: Marc Cucurella, Jorrel Hato

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