Italian Serie A side Atalanta have reiterated that highly rated Nigerian-eligible defender Honest Ahanor is not available for transfer, despite increasing interest from Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion during the summer window.
The 18-year-old joined Atalanta from Genoa last summer and quickly established himself as one of the club’s brightest prospects. His composed displays and defensive maturity earned widespread praise as he made 22 Serie A appearances in his debut campaign.
Ahanor’s rapid development has reportedly attracted the attention of several European clubs, with Brighton among those closely following his progress in the hope of securing a deal.
Despite the speculation, Atalanta remain determined to keep hold of the young defender. According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the club have no intention of selling one of their prized assets.
Speaking on the matter, Atalanta director Cristiano Giuntoli stressed the club’s position.
> “We want to keep our best players, and Honest is one of them,” Giuntoli said.
Beyond club football, Ahanor’s impressive performances have also sparked interest at international level. Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle is believed to be monitoring the teenager as Nigeria continue efforts to strengthen their defensive options.
Although Ahanor made senior appearances for Italy in friendly matches against Luxembourg and Greece in June 2026, those games do not permanently tie him to the Azzurri under FIFA eligibility rules.
That means the promising defender is still eligible to switch his international allegiance to Nigeria, provided he has not represented Italy in an official competitive senior fixture.
