Young defender Honest Ahanor is set to move to Chelsea next season, external link, while the Atalanta defender will spend the remainder of the current campaign on loan with Crystal Palace.
The London club has reached an agreement valued at as much as £40m for the 18-year-old Italian international.
Ahanor will not move to Stamford Bridge straight away, however, as he has first completed a loan switch to Palace, external link before formally joining Chelsea next summer.
“I am delighted to have arrived and to become part of such a wonderful family,” Ahanor said on Crystal Palace’s official website after completing his move to the Eagles., external link
“Joining one of the Premier League’s leading clubs for developing young talent leaves me both thankful and enthusiastic.”
Chelsea initially showed interest in the 18-year-old Ahanor after recruiting right-back Marco Palestra from the Italian club in July.
Primarily a left-back, he moved from Genoa to Atalanta last summer on a three-year contract for a reported 16m euros, with a further 4m euros available in bonuses.
Ahanor featured 28 times in Serie A for Atalanta last season and became a regular member of the starting line-up. His Champions League debut came last September in a 2-1 victory over Club Brugge.
He received an Italy call-up in May for friendly fixtures against Luxembourg and Greece.
Elsewhere, Chelsea forward Marc Guiu has completed a permanent move to Bundesliga side RB Leipzig, external link for a fee of £14.6m, including performance-related additions.
The 20-year-old joined Chelsea from his childhood club Barcelona in July 2024 and went on to score eight goals across 29 senior appearances at Stamford Bridge.
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