Arsenal and Manchester City are contemplating a €35 million move for Atalanta defender Honest Ahanor, with Chelsea also in the mix.
According to Caught Offside, Honest Ahanor is attracting some of the biggest Premier League clubs ahead of the summer. Arsenal and Manchester City are already contemplating a €35 million move for the young left-sided defender, with Chelsea also showing an interest.
Ahanor is turning heads with his displays for Atalanta since joining the club in the summer from Genoa. The 18-year-old left-sided defender has been a revelation for the Bergamo outfit owing to his tactical discipline and physicality in the team’s backline, which has seen him cement a place as a starter in a short span.
Ahanor primarily plays as a left-sided centre-back, while also being capable of handling the duties in a left-back role. Atalanta are aware of the growing interest in the 18-year-old defender, with the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea already keen.
Arsenal and Manchester City are planning a €35 million move for the young centre-back, which could also see Chelsea enter the race in a big way. As for the Blues, they are eager to identify and secure signings of young talents that suit their squad-building plans, with the 18-year-old defender from Atalanta certainly one to watch, considering they were keen on him back in the summer.
Arsenal have been looking for a left-sided defender, either in a central role or as a left-back, amid recent links to Nathaniel Brown of Eintracht Frankfurt. Their interest in Ahanor may not come as a surprise, given how Mikel Arteta likes a tactically flexible defender who can occupy multiple roles in the team, as the Spanish manager would like the idea of adding the Atalanta man to his squad.
Atalanta to keep Honest Ahanor?
Manchester City are in a similar boat to Arsenal and Chelsea, as they too are making efforts to bring in the best talent available in the market. While they have good options on that side of defence, Pep Guardiola could like the idea of having the mature 18-year-old defender in his squad.
As for Atalanta, they are not overly keen to make a sale despite the €35 million sum likely to make them a huge profit. They are eager to keep hold of Ahanor for another season at the very least, as more game time for the Bergamo side will improve the player’s development as well as his value in the market, which could also see the Serie A giants offer the teenager a new contract.