Chelsea have agreed a reported £40 million ($54 million) deal to sign Atalanta defender Honest Ahanor, with the 18-year-old set to spend the upcoming season on loan at Crystal Palace.
Ahanor will remain in Serie A for now before officially joining Chelsea in 2027. The defender moved to Atalanta from Genoa in July 2025 and made 22 league appearances for the club last season.
His performances also earned him a senior Italy call-up, with Ahanor making his international debut in a friendly against Luxembourg in June.
The move to Crystal Palace, the reigning UEFA Conference League champions, is expected to provide Ahanor with valuable Premier League experience. He will provide defensive cover following Chadi Riad’s anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered against Everton.
“I’m very happy to be here and to be a part of this great family,” Ahanor told Palace’s official website.
“To be at one of the best clubs for young players in the Premier League is something which makes me grateful and excited.”
Chelsea confirmed the agreement on their website, describing Ahanor as an Italian international who will officially become a Blues player in 2027.
The club said Ahanor made 35 appearances for Atalanta in his first season in Bergamo after joining from Genoa, with his form earning him his first two senior appearances for Italy in June.
Meanwhile, Chelsea have also parted ways with striker Marc Guiu, who has joined RB Leipzig on a five-year contract for a reported £14.5 million.
Guiu, 20, joined Chelsea from Barcelona in 2024 for around £5 million but struggled to establish himself in the first team.
The forward made just 11 Premier League appearances during his two-year spell at Stamford Bridge and failed to score in the competition.
