Transfer News: Real Madrid plot summer move for 18-year-old Nigerian-born sensation

Honest Ahanor is currently one of the fastest-rising stars in world football, having developed in leaps and bounds over the past 12 months.

After completing a €17 million move from Genoa to Atalanta last summer, the 18-year-old has more than justified the hype, emerging as the latest Nigerian link to Bergamo after the club sold Ademola Lookman to Atletico Madrid.

The fact that such a significant fee was paid for a player who was only 17 at the time is a testament to Ahanor’s immense ceiling.

This season, he has been seamlessly integrated into the Atalanta system, featuring in 28 games across Serie A and the UEFA Champions League.

Anahaor's performances have sparked a bidding war among Europe’s elite. According to recent reports, Real Madrid have intensified their pursuit of the left-footed defender.

Los Blancos view Ahanor as the ideal long-term successor to veterans David Alaba and Antonio Rüdiger, fitting their policy of recruiting world-class talent before their market value becomes unreachable.

Born in Aversa, Italy, to Nigerian parents, Ahanor remained the subject of a high-stakes tug-of-war for his international future.

However, having turned 18 in February 2026, he officially obtained his Italian citizenship.

Despite persistent interest from the Super Eagles, Ahanor’s inclusion in the Azzurrini (Italy U21) squad for the March qualifiers suggests his future lies with the four-time World Champions.

With his contract in Bergamo running until 2028, Atalanta are under no pressure to sell. Any deal this summer is expected to reach the €50–60 million range, a staggering profit for a player who was a teenager in the Genoa academy just two years ago.