Ajax star Jorrel Hato breaks silence to announce decision after Liverpool visit

Ajax defender Jorrel Hato has rubbished rumours that he is poised to join Liverpool after taking in a game at Anfield last weekend.

The highly-rated 18-year-old, who is capable of playing at both centre-back and left-back, has admirers all over Europe after breaking through at Ajax and already has close to 100 senior appearances to his name.

Liverpool are one of the teams who hold an interest in Hato, who was spotted on Merseyside for last week's big 4-1 win over Ipswich Town.

But while that fulled speculation that a big move to the Premier League was imminent, Hato has cooled talk of a Liverpool switch, explaining that he was invited as a guest of Reds midfielder Ryan Gravenberch.

“I read it all, but I also know that not everything was right. For my development, it’s best that I stay at Ajax now,” the youngster told De Telegraaf, hinting that he has no plans to move elsewhere this month.

“I was invited by Ryan Gravenberch but I didn’t speak to a director there. Liverpool played well and the atmosphere in the stadium was good, but there is no more to say.”

It had been suggested that Liverpool were ready to fast-track a move for the young defender after being impressed by his performances for

Hato would have represented a coup for Liverpool, who are sweating on the future of Virgil van Dijk. The Dutchman's contract expires at the end of the season, while Ibrahima Konate has now reached the final 18 months of his deal.

Interestingly, former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has already given Hato his seal of approval after playing with him over the past 12 months in Amsterdam.

Henderson recently told Ajax's official website of the defender: “It's crazy how young he is, but obviously how mature he looks when he’s on the pitch and also off the pitch. He's a very mature person, works hard, fantastic player. And yeah, he has a bright future ahead of him, I'm sure.

“I think he just needs to continue to do what he's been doing. Obviously, it's been working for him. I'll try to help him and also the players if they ask for a little bit of advice off the field. If I can help them, I'm sure I'll try and do that, of course.”