Reported Liverpool target Jorrel Hato has officially completed his transfer to Chelsea this summer.
The versatile Ajax defender has signed a €43 million (£37.5 million) deal from the Eredivisie runners-up.
Meanwhile, Liverpool are still reportedly searching for a centre-back.
Hato has agreed to a seven-year contract, keeping him at Chelsea until June 2032.
Why didn’t Liverpool pursue Jorrel Hato?
It’s difficult to criticize Liverpool’s summer transfer dealings so far. They have secured a transformative signing—often a label reserved for players like Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker—and have strengthened well in other areas.
Concerns over the fullback positions were eased after the acquisitions of Jeremie Frimpong (from Bayer Leverkusen) and Milos Kerkez (from Bournemouth).
However, a major gap remains: the centre-back position has not yet been addressed.
Additionally, there has been no progress regarding Marc Guehi. Meanwhile, Fabrizio Romano has revealed on X (formerly Twitter) that Chelsea have beaten Liverpool to the signing of Jorrel Hato, a player reportedly admired by the Reds.
Good business from Chelsea, but Liverpool still have options
Liverpool don’t tend to stockpile players, and their focus appears to be on another potential game-changing signing in Alexander Isak.
That said, just because the focus is elsewhere doesn’t mean other targets are ignored. It seems Hato was not a high enough priority for Liverpool to aggressively pursue.
So Hato has gone to London (despite earlier talks suggesting a direct Liverpool interest), but this shouldn’t discourage Liverpool’s recruitment team.
Marc Guehi remains an option for the Reds to consider before the transfer window closes.
Why Guehi makes more sense than Hato
There’s a lot to admire about Jorrel Hato, but he seems like the kind of signing Liverpool would target if they failed to secure a new left-back this summer.
At 19, Hato is capable of playing both left-back and left-sided centre-back (mainly in a back three).
Unless Liverpool are ready to rely on him as a direct successor to Virgil van Dijk or as an additional left-back, he might not be the optimal choice.
In contrast, Marc Guehi, though not a direct replacement for Liverpool’s star defender, is a reliable squad option.
The Crystal Palace player could partner with the captain in defense and ease the burden on Liverpool, especially with Ibrahima Konate’s future uncertain.
Simply put, Guehi is more likely to get the playing time he desires compared to Hato, making him a more sensible option for Liverpool.
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