Chelsea have agreed a deal worth up to £40m to sign Atalanta defender Honest Ahanor, with the 18-year-old Italian given permission to undergo a medical in London after agreeing personal terms.
Ahanor, who operates mainly at left-back, has been on Chelsea’s radar since the club signed his Atalanta teammate, right-back Marco Palestra, in July.
Uncertain Role Under Alonso
It is not yet clear whether Ahanor will be part of new manager Xabi Alonso’s plans at Stamford Bridge this season. According to his representatives, an immediate loan move to another Premier League club remains a possibility once the transfer is completed.
Rapid Rise at Atalanta
The defender joined Atalanta from Genoa last summer on a three-year contract, in a deal reported at 16m euros plus a further 4m euros in add-ons. He wasted little time establishing himself in Serie A, making 28 appearances for Atalanta last season and becoming a regular starter.
Ahanor also featured in the Champions League, making his debut in a 2-1 win over Club Brugge in September. His form for Atalanta earned international recognition in May, when he was called up by Italy for friendlies against Luxembourg and Greece.
Part of a Busy Chelsea Summer
The move for Ahanor is the latest addition to a squad Alonso has been reshaping since taking charge in July. Chelsea have already broken their transfer record this summer to sign England midfielder Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa for £117m, while also bringing in Premier League experience through Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson.
Chelsea opened their league campaign with a 3-2 win over Fulham on Monday and are next in action at home to Brighton on Sunday.
