Arsenal interest in Jorrel Hato has been confirmed, with the club prioritising a defensive signing in the January window, but it may not be the Ajax man.

Following recent reports linking Arsenal with an interest in Jorrel Hato, The Athletic have confirmed that the Gunners do like the Ajax 17-year-old.

As a left-sided defender, Hato would work on the opposite side to Jurrien Timber. Arsenal believe similarities between their playstyle and Ajax’s make the adaptation between the two clubs a bit easier.

But Hato wouldn’t come cheap, and The Athletic conclude that Arsenal might decide they need someone more experienced to help the team in the second half of the season.

Even so, The Athletic claim the top priority for Arsenal in the January transfer window is the defence, given various injury problems and Takehiro Tomiyasu’s impending departure to the AFC Asian Cup with Japan.

The Gunners’ interest in Hato had initially been broken by Arsenal insiders on Twitter.

The player admitted in October that he’d like to follow in the footsteps of Jurrien Timber, saying: “The move to Arsenal was a wonderful one for him.

“It is also my dream to one day make such a transfer, but I realize that I still have a very long way to go.”

Despite his age, Hato is already a starter for Ajax, making 25 appearances and racking up well over 2,000 minutes this season.

The defender can play at centre-back or left-back, and he’s even made his international debut for the Netherlands.

Hato has a contract with Ajax until 2025, so he’ll be down to the final 18 months of his deal by the time the January window rolls around.