Chelsea make contact to sign “aggressive” £17m ace; they’ve had a response

With a deal already edging closer to signing Jorrel Hato from Ajax, Chelsea have also now reportedly made their first contact to sign a fresh attacking reinforcement.

Chelsea closing in on Hato

As ever, Chelsea have welcomed several fresh faces this summer. As Enzo Maresca gears up for his second season in charge, he now has the likes of Joao Pedro, Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens at his disposal in what remains a squad filled to the brim with quality in depth.

The Blues haven’t quite wrapped up their summer business just yet, however. After showing the door to Noni Madueke, who joined London rivals Arsenal, and Saudi-bound Joao Felix, those at Stamford Bridge still have money to spend and have turned towards Hato as a result.

The 19-year-old left-back now looks destined to become the latest young talent to arrive in West London, as Chelsea continue to build one of the youngest squads in the Premier League.

Hato’s tender age is unlikely to stand in the way of first-team opportunities, though. The Dutchman already has plenty of experience on that front and even graced the Europa League for Ajax last season.

One of many to have praised Hato, Statman Dave recently told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Big Transfer Talk: “When you look at his stats over the season, we are starting to see a player who is very composed and creative. He could potentially go on a similar path to Trent Alexander-Arnold – that is the player I would liken him to in Europe.”

Alas, it’s not just their backline that Chelsea still want to improve. The Blues have also reportedly made their first move to sign a Serie A star.

Chelsea make first approach to sign Weah

According to SpazioJ, Chelsea have made their first approach to sign Timothy Weah from Juventus, only for the American to turn down a summer switch to Stamford Bridge.

It’s not the first time that the winger has turned down the chance to join a Premier League club, either. Earlier this summer, reports emerged that he had handed Nottingham Forest the same answer that he has now given Chelsea and Tottenham. Just where his future now lies as a result is the big question.

Juventus are still willing to sell Weah for around €20m (£17m) ahead of next season, but it remains to be seen whether the likes of Chelsea come calling with a second attempt to convince the 25-year-old.

After scoring six goals and providing five assists in all competitions last season, former Juventus boss Thiago Motta took the chance to praise Weah – telling reporters: “I see him very well, the first thing for a full-back is to defend, be aggressive, win duels, and he is winning a lot of them. He is aggressive, he can still improve, I am very happy with what I see, and on top of that, he also manages to score goals.”