Arsenal are reportedly ‘pushing’ to sign a new defender as their marquee summer transfer.
Mikel Arteta’s men currently sit top of the Premier League as the season enters the final fortnight and boast the best defensive record in the division. Arsenal have conceded just 28 in the league, five less than Manchester City.
But despite boasting the likes of Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jakub Kiwior, Jurrien Timber and Takehiro Tomiyasu as options at left-back, Arteta is said to still want to sign another player in that position.
Oleksandr Zinchenko of Arsenal in action during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Brighton & Hove Albion at Emirates Stadium on December 17, 2023 in London, England.
Ajax defender Jorrel Hato was rewarded with a new contract for the Amsterdam side which saw him commit his future until 2028, but the Gunners are said to see themselves as the ‘frontrunner’ for his signature, according to transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano.
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“Arsenal are also working on their future, they have many wonderkids in their academy but there is a player they’re after and he’s playing at Ajax, he’s a centre-back and it’s Jorrel Hato,” Romano told the Here We Go podcast.
“Hato signed a new deal with Ajax a few months ago, Ajax are obviously more than happy with him and hoping to keep Hato at the club in the summer.
“But Arsenal are still following him, they’ve tracked him multiple times, they believe he is a top, top centre back in terms of potential, so keep an eye on Arsenal. They are still pushing on Hato and they believe they are frontrunners in the race to sign him.
“Let’s see if they can make it happen this summer, or has to be in the future, but Hato remains one of the priority names on Arsenal’s list.”
After making his debut for Ajax in January 2023, Hato has made 42 appearances for the Eredivisie team this term and made his senior Netherlands debut in November, when he replaced Virgil van Dijk at half-time in a Euro 2024 qualifier against Gibraltar.