Italian Serie A club Atalanta have made their stance clear on the future of highly rated Nigerian-eligible defender Honest Ahanor, insisting the youngster is not for sale despite growing interest from Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion during the current summer transfer window.
Ahanor, who joined the Bergamo-based club from Genoa last summer, enjoyed an impressive debut campaign, earning plaudits for his maturity, composure and defensive qualities.
The 18-year-old established himself as one of Atalanta's promising young talents, making 22 Serie A appearances and attracting interest from several European clubs following his consistent performances.
Among the clubs linked with the defender is Brighton & Hove Albion, with reports suggesting the Premier League outfit have been monitoring his development ahead of a possible move.
However, Atalanta have dismissed any possibility of parting ways with the youngster this summer.
Speaking in post shared by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Atalanta director Cristiano Giuntoli reaffirmed the club's determination to retain Ahanor.
“We want to keep our best players and Honest is one of them”, Giuntoli said.
The decision comes amid increasing attention surrounding Ahanor's international future.
His impressive rise has also caught the eye of Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle, who is understood to be monitoring the defender's progress.
Although Ahanor made his senior debut for Italy in international friendlies against Luxembourg and Greece in June 2026, the appearances do not permanently tie him to the Azzurri under FIFA regulations.
As a result, the defender remains free to represent the Super Eagles at senior level, provided he has not featured for Italy in an official competitive international fixture.
Adeyemi Adewale
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