Ajax have tied teenage defender Jorrel Hato down a new long-term contract amid reported interest from Arsenal.
The 18-year-old - who was born a few months before the Gunners officially moved to the Emirates Stadium in 2006 - has already established himself as one of the Dutch giants' key players during the 2023-24 campaign.
Hato has scored one goal and set up three more in 37 matches for John van 't Schip's side in all tournaments this season and has worn the armband on three occasions, becoming the youngest captain in Ajax's history.
The teenager has now racked up 52 senior appearances for Ajax since graduating from their youth academy, and he made his Netherlands debut against Gibraltar in a November Euro 2024 qualifier, registering an assist in that 6-0 win.
Amid his rapid rise, Arsenal had apparently taken an interest in signing Hato, having already done business with Ajax for the signature of Jurrien Timber during the summer 2023 window.
#ForTheFuture 🌍
— AFC Ajax (@AFCAjax) March 12, 2024
Ajax and Jorrel Hato have reached an agreement on a new contract. The new contract of the 18-year-old defender will run until June 30, 2028.
However, following reports that the 18-year-old was close to agreeing a new deal with Ajax, the Eredivisie heavyweights have now confirmed that Hato has signed a long-term renewal.
The Netherlands international's new terms run until the summer of 2028, by which time he will be 22 years old, although Ajax are not believed to have inserted a release clause into his terms.
As a result, the Dutch giants can afford to play hardball in negotiations with any interested parties, and it remains to be seen whether Hato's new contract deters Arsenal and other suitors this summer.
The Gunners paid their Eredivisie counterparts ÂŁ38.5m for Hato's compatriot Timber last summer, and the versatile defender won the Community Shield on his competitive debut before suffering an ACL injury on his first Premier League appearance.
Timber has not been seen in an Arsenal shirt since, although he has been slowly building up his fitness in training, while Takehiro Tomiyasu, Thomas Partey and Oleksandr Zinchenko have also spent time out injured in 2024.
© Reuters
As a result, Jakub Kiwior - who has been linked with a return to Italy - has been forced to fill in at left-back in recent weeks, leaving Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba short of senior cover in the heart of defence.
However, Zinchenko was fit enough to come off the bench against Brentford after a calf issue, while Tomiyasu trained with the team ahead of Tuesday's Champions League last-16 second leg with Porto.
The Japan international is believed to have made the squad for the visit of the Portuguese giants, but Gabriel Martinelli - who suffered a cut to his foot against Sheffield United - is not expected to be involved.
The Gunners are bidding to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the first leg at the Estadio do Dragao, where Galeno's stunning last-minute strike propelled Porto to a narrow success.
