Chelsea have perfect swap deal to beat Arsenal to £40m transfer | Football | Sport

Chelsea could have the perfect bargaining chip to secure the signature of Jorrel Hato this summer. The Ajax star has been linked with a host of Premier League clubs in recent months, with Liverpool and Arsenal both said to be keen on the versatile defender.

The Blues are also long-term admirers of the Netherlands international and he has previously been cited as one of their top defensive targets, with Enzo Maresca looking to inject further young talent into his squad.

Ajax are reportedly demanding £40million to part ways with their academy graduate this summer, but Chelsea appear to have been given the ideal opportunity to strike a cut-price deal for Hato thanks to their forgotten star, Armando Broja.

According to The Sun, the 23-year-old is keen to leave the Blues over the coming months after an injury-ridden two seasons out on loan at Fulham and Everton respectively. The Albania international is hopeful that he can get his career back on track with a permanent exit this summer.

Broja is not short of suitors, with AC Milan, RB Leipzig and PSV already registering an interest in acquiring his services, though they aren’t the only sides in the race to secure his signature. Ajax are also said to have made contact with Chelsea to explore the conditions of a move for the striker, in what could be music to the ears of the higher powers at Stamford Bridge.

With the race for Hato expected to heat up soon, the Blues will be well aware that a swap opportunity could very much be on the cards. Chelsea value Broja at £20million, which could therefore see them attempt to sign the defender for half of his current asking price.

Broja does not have a long-term future at Chelsea, with Liam Delap already joining the club and Maresca pushing for another No. 9, and thus using the powerful striker as a makeweight in negotiations for an in-demand defender could be too an opportunity to reject.

Hato is capable of being deployed anywhere across the backline and his versatility could provide key cover next season, with Chelsea hoping to compete for silverware on all fronts – and it is hard to imagine that Broja is in any of their immediate or long-term plans anyway given how the Blues are currently conducting themselves in the market.