Ahanor to join Palace on loan before permanent Chelsea switch
- Published
Chelsea have announced that teenage defender Honest Ahanor will join the club in 2027 after spending the rest of this season on loan at Crystal Palace.
The Blues have agreed a deal worth up to £40m to sign Italy international Ahanor, 18, from Atalanta.
But he will not arrive at Stamford Bridge immediately.
Instead, Ahanor is set to join London rivals Crystal Palace on loan from his current club before officially becoming a Chelsea player next summer.
Chelsea first expressed an interest in Ahanor, 18, when they signed right-back Marco Palestra from the Serie A side in July.
He mainly plays at left-back and joined Atalanta from Genoa on a three-year deal last summer for a reported fee of 16m euros, plus 4m euros in add-ons.
He made 28 appearances in Serie A for Atalanta last season, establishing himself as a regular starter. He also made his Champions League debut in a 2-1 win against Club Brugge last September.
