Brighton & Hove Albion have been dealt a setback in their pursuit of Honest Ahanor after Atalanta publicly insisted the teenage defender is not for sale.
Albion have monitored Ahanor throughout the summer and reportedly submitted an offer worth around €34m, or £30m, for the 18-year-old.
Atalanta rejected that approach and have now strengthened their position through director Cristiano Giuntoli.
“We want to keep our best players and Honest is one of them,” Giuntoli said, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The statement leaves Brighton with little encouragement to return unless Atalanta’s position changes later in the window.
Brighton should avoid overpaying for Ahanor
Ahanor’s profile explains Albion’s interest.
The left-footed defender made 22 Serie A appearances during his first season in Bergamo and has already shown the composure and physical qualities required at senior level.
He can operate centrally or at left-back, making him a natural fit for Fabian Hürzeler’s flexible defensive structure.
However, Brighton have already invested heavily in their back line. Luka Vuskovic, Pascal Struijk and Michael Svoboda have arrived during a major defensive reset following Jan Paul van Hecke’s departure.
ReadBrighton previously examined how Atalanta’s rejection forced Albion to reconsider the value of another major investment in Ahanor.
Atalanta only signed the teenager from Genoa last summer and have no financial need to accept a reduced offer. Their public stance suggests Brighton would need to pay well above the original bid to restart negotiations.
Ahanor remains an outstanding long-term prospect, but Albion’s immediate defensive needs have already been addressed.
Brighton should retain their interest and continue monitoring his development. For now, matching an inflated valuation would undermine the market discipline behind much of the club’s recruitment success.
