The defender has been heavily linked with a premier League move this summer.
Ajax defender Jorrel Hato revealed to Dutch media that he will remain at his current club despite interest from Arsenal and Manchester United this summer.
The 18-year-old, praised as ‘special’ by teammate Jordan Henderson for his performances last season, is eager to continue his development in the Eredivisie after breaking into Ajax’s first eleven this season.
The Dutch centre-back signed a contract extension in March – his current deal runs until 2028. Hato says he ‘hasn’t finished learning’ at Ajax and wants to win titles with the club since it was ‘his dream’ when he joined in 2018.
Arsenal, who were linked with a move for the talented defender, will have to look elsewhere to bolster their backline ahead of the new Premier League campaign.
The Gunners are prioritising a striker signing this summer but are likely to add another defender. Hato, who can play both centrally and on the left, would have been a versatile option for Mikel Arteta’s side.
Jorrel Hato to Reject Arsenal Move
Speaking to the Dutch media, Hato revealed his plans to stay at Ajax next season despite growing interest from top European clubs, including Arsenal.
The 18-year-old had a breakthrough season for the Eredivisie side, appearing in 33 league matches and securing significant first-team playing time. As a result, he’s been dubbed as having “huge potential” by BBC Sport contributor Oli Price-Bates.
Ajax, meanwhile, had a season to forget as they finished fifth in the league – their worst result since the 1999/00 season. Hato will be keen to help the team bounce back next season since he squashed rumours about a potential move to the Premier League this summer, saying:
Arsenal are now unlikely to snatch another Ajax talent for two summers in a row – last year they signed centre-back Jurrien Timber, who appeared in just five games for the Gunners amid an injury-hit season.
After a poor season from Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah up front, Arsenal are in the market for a starting centre-forward this summer.
The Gunners are considering RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko, who is one of their top targets, but are also keeping an eye on alternatives.
With interest in Sesko skyrocketing in the last few weeks from other Premier League clubs, the Gunners are also monitoring Evan Ferguson, Viktor Gyokeres, and Joshua Zirkzee.
Journalist Ben Jacobs, speaking to GMS, revealed that Arsenal still have all three strikers on their list, who are not necessarily ‘backups’ if the chase for Sesko fails.
With Jesus and Nketiah scoring only nine goals combined in the previous Premier League campaign, the Gunners are looking to pursue a big-money move for a new attacker this summer and seem to have several options.
Benjamin Sesko vs Kai Havertz (2023/24 league stats)
Benjamin Sesko
Kai Havertz
Games
31
37
Goals
14
13
Assists
2
7
Minutes per goal
110
204
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