Former Manchester United coach urges club to move for £37m Chelsea defender

Manchester United have been urged to consider a move for Chelsea’s Jorrel Hato after the 19-year-old’s £37 million switch from Ajax has so far failed to ignite. Rene Meulensteen, who spent six years on the Old Trafford coaching staff, believes the Dutch prodigy could thrive under a fresh challenge should Stamford Bridge opportunities remain scarce.

Hato arrived in west London last summer as one of Europe’s most coveted teenagers, with Chelsea beating Arsenal to his signature. The defender had already etched his name into Ajax folklore by becoming the youngest captain in the club’s history in November 2023, a testament to the composure and leadership that persuaded Chelsea to invest heavily.

Yet the Premier League has offered a sobering lesson. Twelve league outings, only five of them lasting beyond the interval, illustrate how peripheral the teenager has become in a squad stocked with established names such as Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana. Cup competitions have provided occasional respite, but the regular rhythm he enjoyed in Amsterdam has evaporated.

Meulensteen, now a respected pundit, questions whether the transfer ever suited either party. Speaking to Metro, he said: “It is a disappointing move for Jorrel Hato because he was absolutely outstanding for Ajax at the time. He was very, very young and was the captain, which says a lot about the trust the manager put in him in terms of his personality and his leadership qualities.

“Then a club like Chelsea comes in because they want to pick up all the best players here, there, and everywhere. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they fit in with the way the team wants to play. He’s been one of the guys who hasn’t really settled.”

The former United coach stressed that development must trump short-term financial reward for elite youngsters. “Yes, he can get a big paycheck and a lot of money in the bank, but young players should be playing. Nobody can guarantee success for players wherever they go, but you want to get a sense of the manager’s plan and what he has planned for you.”

Meulensteen believes Old Trafford could provide the platform Hato needs. “It doesn’t help his career, so it wouldn’t surprise me if he is looking for a loan move or another challenge elsewhere. If I were any Premier League team, including Manchester United, and he were available or became available, I would definitely be looking at him because he is still very young, and there is a lot of potential to unlock.”

United’s interest is easy to understand. Erik ten Hag’s squad craves left-footed balance in build-up play, and Hato’s versatility—equally adept at left-back, centre-back or as a number six—offers tactical flexibility. Comfortable receiving under pressure and technically refined, the teenager profiles as a long-term solution rather than an expensive stop-gap.

Chelsea, for their part, have shown little inclination to cash in on a player signed barely a year ago, let alone strengthen a direct rival. Yet football’s landscape can shift quickly. Should Hato remain on the margins, United may sense an opportunity to rescue a talent whose London chapter has stalled and offer him the stage Ajax once provided.