Chelsea receive glowing report on first signing of 2027

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Cameron Smith | Digital Content Producer

Chelsea have received a glowing report on Honest Ahanor, who will officially join the club from Atalanta for a transfer fee of €46.7 million next summer.

The Italy international emerged as a late target for Chelsea during the final few days of the summer window and they quickly finalised a deal to sign him in 2027, with the defender subsequently joining Crystal Palace on a season-long loan deal.

Chelsea were unable to loan Ahanor to Crystal Palace as Premier League rules dictate that clubs may only loan one player to a fellow English top flight team per season, and Axel Disasi had already moved to Selhurst Park on a temporary deal.

As a result, Chelsea were prevented from sending Ahanor to Pierre Sage’s side directly and the Italy international instead joined Palace on loan from Atalanta, with Chelsea announcing that he will formally sign for the club next summer.

The 18-year-old, who came through the youth ranks at Genoa before his move to Atalanta, has already started three matches for Palace so far this season and he is expected to immediately be integrated into the Chelsea first-team set-up upon his arrival at Stamford Bridge in 2027.

Honest Ahanor assessment

Ahanor already has two senior international caps for Italy and Genoa sporting director Diego Lopez believes he has the potential to become a star at Chelsea.

“Football is changing,” Lopez admitted during an interview with The Evening Standard. “For sure, we have to take the best from the past. I think Italy is one of the best schools to improve and to understand the tactical side of football, and we need to not forget to take with us the identity of Italian football and to mix also with this new generation of players able to do maybe the things that physically not a lot of players can do.

“I think Honest is a good example of this change that Italy is now driving.

“He has the capacity to be aggressive, the personality to not be afraid to defend 20 metres, 30 metres from the goal, and to be determined to do it. He has the capacity to bring the ball and to find passes between the lines. He is a player able to play two or three positions on the pitch, to keep this modern style of football.”

He continued: “I know how Pierre Sage thinks of football more or less, and I think he's the kind of player of Xabi Alonso and Chelsea, or even Atalanta or Genoa.

“There are a lot of clubs that are thinking about football in these steps. You need to be physically very strong to be prepared for this level. But also a very strong personality to understand that if you fail your duel, the team is in trouble.

“Then, at the same time, to manage this pressure, to play with the ball and to break the lines with the ball and to propose something with the ball. So everything inside is not easy. That's why you don't find a lot of players with the age of Honest playing at the highest level.”

When asked about his loan move to Crystal Palace, Lopez added: “I think it is a very good step, in all senses, because when you join a club like Chelsea at this age, it is a good idea to be on loan in a team in the Premier League to understand, because it is very, very different from Italy.

“They found a good project (at Palace) with a good manager that has no fear to put the young players [in], as he (Sage) showed last year in Lens.

“So I think it is a good mix, a good moment, a good player to the style, and I think he is a good player for the style of the Premier League in general.”