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Chelsea’s £35.5 million summer signing Jorrel Hato is finally settling into life at Stamford Bridge, and it took a managerial shakeup to get there. The 19-year-old Dutch defender says he gained confidence and seized his chance after Enzo Maresca’s departure in early January 2026.
From Ajax prodigy to Premier League project
Hato arrived at Chelsea from Ajax during the summer 2025 transfer window for an initial fee of £35.5 million. A versatile defender capable of slotting in at centre-back or full-back, Hato represented the kind of positional flexibility that modern managers crave.
Under Maresca, who held the Chelsea coaching position from July 2024 until January 2026, Hato showed flashes of that potential. Maresca publicly praised the teenager’s maturity, noting he is “more mature than his age,” and began integrating him into an attacking, inverting defensive role.
But progress hit a speed bump in late December 2025. Hato suffered an injury during warm-ups ahead of a match against Aston Villa, sidelining him at a critical juncture of the season.
The Maresca exit and what came next
Maresca’s tenure at Chelsea ended on January 1, 2026. Enter Liam Rosenior. For Hato, the transition has been a net positive. He has reported a surge in confidence since the coaching change and has been given consistent playing time.
Rosenior has continued the inverting, attacking role that Maresca initially designed for Hato. Hato has expressed a desire to keep developing in that attacking role, building on the foundations set during Maresca’s tenure.
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