Arsenal are closing in on a deal to bring a new defender to the Premier League in January, according to a fresh report that has emerged this week.
Arsenal's recent results and form
The Gunners have made a remarkable start to the new campaign having won nine, drawn three and lost just one of their opening 13 games, meaning that they currently find themselves at the top of the table and one point ahead of their rivals Manchester City.
Nottingham Forest (2-1)
Fulham (2-2)
Newcastle United (1-0)
Crystal Palace (1-0)
Tottenham Hotspur (2-2)
Manchester United (3-1)
Chelsea (2-2)
Everton (1-0)
Bournemouth (4-0)
Manchester City (1-0)
Sheffield United (5-0)
Burnley (3-1)
Brentford (1-0)
Edu and Mikel Arteta will therefore know that they don’t necessarily have to improve their squad that much more, but that won’t stop them from assessing their options in the market to see if there is anyone out there who they could get in the building should an ideal opportunity present itself.
The Emirates Stadium chiefs appear to have set their sights on Ajax centre-back Jorrel Hato, who has worked his way up through his club’s various youth ranks to get promoted to their first-team, where he’s since gone on to make a total of 34 senior appearances to date (Transfermarkt – Hato statistics).
The Netherlands international still has another just under two years remaining on his deal at the Johan Cruyff Arena (Ajax contracts), but regardless of his situation, the 17-year-old has still been brought onto the radar of the Emirates hierarchy ahead of the upcoming transfer window opening in the new year.
Edu set to sign Jorrel Hato
According to Voetbal International (via Four Four Two), Arsenal are expected to sign Hato in January. The N7 side are “closing in” on securing the services of the teenager, and while they previously opted to instead swoop for Jurrien Timber, it’s believed that they have been interested in him for “some time”.
The Ajax starlet has even admitted that it’s his dream to follow in the footsteps of his former teammate and make the move to the capital in the near future, as per the same outlet, so this could be one to keep a close eye on.
Hato is a "magnificent talent" for the future
Standing at 5 foot 11, Hato isn’t the tallest for a centre-back, but he is still able to provide a real physical presence at the heart of the defence, currently averaging three aerial wins and 2.8 clearances per game in the Eredivisie (WhoScored – Hato statistics) – he could yet grow more too at just 17 years of age.
The Rotterdam native, who is naturally left-footed, is however extremely calm and composed in possession as he’s recording a 91.4% pass success rate as it stands, highlighting his ability to control and dictate the game when he’s got the ball at his feet.
John Van’t Schip’s “magnificent talent”, as labelled by football scout Jacek Kulig, only pockets £8k-per-week as the moment (Ajax salaries), so he would be a more than affordable option to have on the books. Hato looks to be a fantastic purchase for the long-term future of Arsenal.
