Sports · Soccer · published 2026-08-27 · via BBC Sport

Chelsea pursue £34m move for teenage Italy left-back

Chelsea have opened negotiations with Atalanta over 18-year-old defender Honest Ahanor, who primarily plays at left-back. Atalanta are prepared to sell if their €40m valuation is met, and Ahanor made 28 Serie A appearances last season plus his Champions League debut. The Blues previously signed Atalanta right-back Marco Palestra in July, and manager Xabi Alonso has already added several new players this summer.

Expanded Detail

EXPANDED:

The proposed fee would represent a substantial profit for Atalanta, who acquired Ahanor from Genoa last summer for €16m plus €4m in add-ons. His rapid ascent includes 28 Serie A starts, a Champions League debut against Club Brugge, and an Italy senior call-up in May, marking him as one of Serie A's most promising young defenders.

Chelsea's pursuit follows their July capture of Atalanta right-back Marco Palestra, suggesting

Expanded detail and Context are AI-generated analysis; the linked article remains the authoritative source.

Read the full article at BBC Sport →

This summary is Al-enhanced to contain extended analysis and broader social context. The original is {NAME); the linked article is the authoritative source. Original headline: “Chelsea in talks to sign Atalanta defender Ahanor.” Browse more stories.