Man Utd in EASY transfer battle for Italy’s ‘next Paolo Maldini’

Manchester United are in a multi-club transfer battle for Atalanta wonderkid Honest Ahanor, but they should have no problem beating off the competition.

The talented centre-back only turned 18 a couple of days ago, but he is already one of the most sought-after defenders. Despite his youth, Ahanor has made 30 senior appearances for two Serie A clubs over the past 18 months.

He joined Atalanta from Genoa in a €20 million summer deal that raised eyebrows across Italian football because it was one of the largest fees ever paid for an underage footballer in the country’s history. As a result of his precocity, Ahanor has been compared to Azzurri and AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini.

However, despite being born in Italy, Ahanor has thus far been unable to represent his country at the international level because of the archaic law that predicates citizenship on Italian ancestry.

Argentina-born Mateo Retegui can play for the national team, but Ahanor, who was born just north of Naples, could not until this month because of his Nigerian parents. Now that he is 18, he is eligible to apply for citizenship, and he has made it clear that he only wants to represent Italy.

Man Utd want Ahanor

According to Tuttosport, four Premier League clubs are chasing the wonderkid’s signature this summer, chief among them Man Utd. The other suitors are Newcastle, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham.

Given the current state of Forest and Spurs, Man Utd should have no issue convincing Ahanor to make the move to Old Trafford, especially as they are on course to qualify for the Champions League. Last summer, the Red Devils beat Newcastle to three players despite not being in Europe, so they will also back themselves to overcome the Magpies in the chase for the Italian.

The bigger issue will be convincing Atalanta to sell after just one season. Given the sizeable outlay on him last summer, La Dea would demand a huge fee for the prospect. However, his contract situation could work in Man Utd’s favour.

Due to being a minor at the time of his arrival in Bergamo, Atalanta were only able to hand him a three-year deal, which means that he will have just two years left on his contract come the summer. Given the significant interest in his services, it is doubtful whether he would be willing to sign an extension.

In addition to Premier League clubs, Ahanor also has suitors elsewhere in Europe. Atletico Madrid, during their scouting trips for January signing Ademola Lookman, were reportedly impressed by the 18-year-old’s performances, while AC Milan and Napoli have also taken a liking to the youngster.

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