Agent: Ahanor to Chelsea shows Italy 'have talent'; Tonali 'deserved' record fee
Quick summary
The agent of young defender Ahanor discusses his client's potential move to Chelsea as proof of Italian football's talent pipeline, while defending Sandro Tonali's record transfer fee to Newcastle.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceSandro Tonali’s agent says Tottenham had ‘a very clear idea’ of the Italian midfielder who ‘deserved’ to become the most expensive Italian player ever, while Honest Ahanor’s move to Chelsea highlights that Italy still has plenty of emerging talent.
Riso gave an interview to Tuttosport discussing some of the biggest deals he completed with his clients during the summer transfer window, including Tonali and Ahanor.
Tonali became the most expensive Italian footballer ever by joining Tottenham from Newcastle for circa €115m.
‘Tottenham had a very clear idea of Tonali’ Official: Italy international Sandro Tonali joins Tottenham Hotspur in an Italia-record transfer from Newcastle United (@Spurs via X) “There are many years of work behind such an operation. I’m not the one who set the record: it’s Sandro who deserved it on the field,” Riso said.
“I made a few more phone calls at most,” he added, smiling.
“Tottenham are a club that had a very clear idea of Sandro. When a company makes you understand that a player is a priority, everything becomes easier.”
Another Riso client, Ahanor, joined Chelsea from Atalanta in a €46m deal. The 18-year-old will effectively play for the Blues starting from 2027-28 as he’ll spend the current campaign on loan at Crystal Palace.
“For Atalanta, it is undoubtedly a great operation. But if such a young boy reaches such an evaluation, it also means that even today in Italy we have talent and know how to cultivate it,” Riso said.
“The fact that they stay here [in Italy] is not central, especially if their destination is the Premier League, a league I have often described as the NBA of football and which, as such, can certainly contribute decisively to their growth.
Honest Ahanor joins Chelsea from Atalanta (chelseafc.com) “It is highly challenging and returns them stronger to our national team. The real challenge for Serie A is to create the conditions for these guys to grow up here, before having to sell them.”
Ahanor had become the second-most expensive U17 Italian player only one year ago, when he moved to Atalanta from Genoa for €15m plus add-ons.
The versatile 18-year-old defender made his senior Italy debut this past June under caretaker coach Silvio Baldini.
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What happened
Ahanor's representative has spoken publicly about his client's profile and the reported interest from Premier League side Chelsea, framing the possible transfer as evidence that Italian youth development continues to produce top-level talent. The agent also weighed in on the broader Italian transfer market, stating that Sandro Tonali 'deserved' his record-breaking move from AC Milan to Newcastle United, pushing back on criticism of the fee. The comments come amid growing Premier League interest in Serie A's emerging players, with Chelsea reportedly monitoring several Italian prospects ahead of the summer window.
Chance analysis
Ahanor's mooted move to Chelsea would underscore the continued pull of Serie A as a development hub for young Italian players, even as the Premier League's financial muscle reshapes where that talent ultimately lands. The agent's defence of Tonali's record fee also signals a broader industry stance: that elite Italian players now command top-of-the-market prices regardless of destination. For clubs across Serie A, the message is clear — developing young talent remains valuable, but the selling market is increasingly tilted toward English buyers willing to pay premium rates.
A potential Chelsea move for Ahanor would be a positive addition to Chelsea's defensive options but a loss of a prospect from Italian football's development pipeline.