Chelsea crash Arsenal and Liverpool transfer battle with two trump cards in hand

are increasingly serious about challenging and for the signing of Jorrel Hato this summer, according to reports. And although the Gunners and the Reds have superior title credentials, there are two factors working directly in Chelsea's favour.

Hato has already reached a century of games for Ajax despite only turning 19 in March. The versatile youngster was a senior Netherlands international by the age of 17, and he has put together an impressive Eredivisie campaign with two goals and six assists. According to , the Blues are 'seriously considering' a formal approach for Hato, who has been 'watched closely' as a 'long-standing target'.

Having Arsenal and Liverpool as competition is, on the face of it, a worrying sign for the Stamford Bridge hierarchy. While Chelsea are scrambling to finish in the top five, Liverpool have already been crowned Premier League champions and Arsenal are on course to clinch second spot.

In the hunt for Hato, however, the two high-fliers could be victims of their own success. Solid centre-back pairings are key fixtures of the Arsenal and Liverpool starting line-ups, with William Saliba and Gabriel anchoring the Gunners' back line, and Virgil van Dijk doing likewise with Ibrahima Konate on Merseyside.

That doesn't bode well for Hato's chances of breaking into the starting XI, given that one of his two primary positions is in central defence.

And that is where Chelsea's first trump card enters the fray. Over the course of the season, manager Enzo Maresca has developed a clearer idea of his defensive pecking order. But his back-line is considerably less established than that of Liverpool or Arsenal.

Hato therefore stands a better chance of breaking in straight away, rather than waiting in the wings for an opportunity that may take a long while to come around.

Senior figures at Anfield or the Emirates Stadium may argue that Hato could slot in at left-back, as that is predominantly where he has featured for Ajax this campaign.

But Hato's specialisation as a part-time left-back and a part-time centre-half could make him a perfect fit for Maresca's system. The Chelsea boss lines up with a back-four but often sees his team revert to a back-three when they have the ball, with Hato a natural contender to make the left-sided centre-back role his own.

If Chelsea can offer Hato a clearer route into their first team, and a tailor-made role once he gets there, Arsenal and Liverpool may struggle to rival their sales pitch regardless of their Premier League prowess.