Crystal Palace complete loan move for Atalantas 18-year-old defender Honest Ahanor

Italy-Nigeria centre-back Honest Ahanor has joined Crystal Palace from Atalanta on loan, completing a move that brings the 18-year-old defender to the Premier League for the 2026-27 season.

Ahanor’s loan began on 1 September 2026 and runs until 30 June 2027, when he is due to return to Atalanta. He has signed with Palace until the end of the loan period.

The left-footed defender was born in Aversa, Italy, and stands 1.84m tall. He plays primarily as a centre-back and holds both Italian and Nigerian nationality.

Ahanor joined Atalanta from Genoa in July 2025 in a €16m transfer. He moved to the Serie A club after progressing through Genoa’s youth system and making the step into the senior set-up.

His previous development included spells with Genoa’s Under-17, Under-19 and Under-20 teams. He was part of the Genoa Under-18 side that won the Italian Under-18 championship in the 2023-24 season.

The move to Palace follows the start of Ahanor’s second season as an Atalanta player. He was registered for Serie A and Uefa Conference League qualifying during the opening part of the 2026-27 campaign, although he did not make an appearance in either competition before completing his switch to England.

Ahanor’s current market value is €30m, having risen from €5m when he moved from Genoa to Atalanta. The figures reflect the rapid change in his valuation since leaving Genoa, where he had developed through the club’s age-group structure.

Palace have secured the services of a young defender with experience in the Italian football system and a contract arrangement that takes him through the end of the current campaign. The agreement gives Ahanor a Premier League address while his registration remains tied to Atalanta.

He joined Genoa’s youth set-up in July 2023 before moving through the club’s development teams, reaching the Under-20 side a year later. His transfer to Atalanta followed in July 2025, and he has now continued his career with a move abroad.

Ahanor is now a Crystal Palace player on loan from Atalanta until 30 June 2027.