Honest Ahanor wins 2026 Italian Golden Boy award

Honest Ahanor has been named the winner of the 2026 Italian Golden Boy award, recognising him as the best Italian footballer under the age of 21.

The 18-year-old defender received the honour following an impressive breakthrough season with Atalanta, where he established himself as a regular first-team performer before securing a move to Chelsea.

Ahanor made 35 appearances for the Serie A outfit during the previous campaign, attracting interest from several European clubs with his performances.

Chelsea eventually won the race for his signature, agreeing a deal with Atalanta in September 2026. However, the Italian youngster will officially join the Premier League club in 2027.

In the meantime, he is spending the 2026/27 campaign on loan at Crystal Palace, where he will continue his development and gain valuable experience in English football.

The Italian Golden Boy award is one of the additional categories introduced as part of the wider Golden Boy honours, which recognise emerging talents in European football.

Previous recipients of the Italian category include Giorgio Scalvini, Michael Kayode and Francesco Pio Esposito.

Ahanor’s latest recognition represents another significant milestone in his promising career as he prepares for the next chapter at Chelsea.