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Honest Ahanor’s Move To Crystal Palace, On Loan From Chelsea, Raises Eyebrows In Italy
A lot of eyebrows are already rising high in Italy, following the exit of Nigerian-born defender, Honest Ahanor from Atalanta to Chelsea of England, who immediately loaned him to their fellow-London-based English Premier League rivals, Crystal Palace.
Sports247 reports that, while the move is being celebrated as a personal achievement for Ahanor, critics of Italian football have rated it yet another setback for their country’s dwindling fortunes, as highlighted in three straight FIFA World Cup misses.
Ahanor joins two other Nigerian-born players of Italian origin – Destiny Udogie at Tottenham Hotspur and Michael Kayode at Brentford – in the EPL, but his exit after just one season at Atalanta has left Italian football buffs raising dust about a mass exodus of talent.
Growing apprehension in Italy about exits of their most promising talentts, both native born and many of other ancentral oigins, has been highlighted by an erudite writer, Antonio Moschella, who noted that the lure of pounds in England has become too tempting to ignore.
Moschella opined further in an article via Tribal Football, “Some players seem destined for the Premier League. That’s the case for Ahanor, whose name is English and whose Nigerian family has historical ties to Britain, due to longstanding colonial connections.
“The move of the 2008-born player from Atalanta to Chelsea, however, is just the latest confirmation of a trend that resembles a diaspora of young Italian talents. In fact, the defender is set to become the 13th Italian player in the Premier League.
“In the 2026/27 Premier League season, there are already 12 Italian players, including the new summer arrivals. Italians who will take the field in England this year are Donnarumma, Calafiori, Savona, Chiesa, Tonali, Udogie, Kayode, Gnonto, Palestra, Ruggeri, Di Gregorio and Leoni.
“It’s clear that the prevailing trend is now to leave the Mediterranean and cross the Channel. This trend, a sad reflection of Serie A and its domestic product as a whole, is mainly due to the extremely high salaries offered by Premier League clubs. But that’s not the only reason.
“The appeal of the Premier League, which for at least a decade has been the most exciting in terms of style and intensity, is undeniable. Ahanor’s move from the relatively provincial reality of Bergamo to a London that pulls the strings of European football is certainly a sign of growth.”
On the other hand, The Eagles are celebrating, as a post on their X handle @PalaceReport read: “Crystal Palace agree deal to sign Honest Ahanor on loan from Chelsea, the eagle has landed. Verbal agreement done as Honest Ahanor joins Chelsea from Atalanta for £40m and then joins Palace on loan.”
Super Falcons striker Asisat Oshoala was on target as Al Hilal produced an impressive 4-0 away victory over NEOM, with fellow Nigerian international Christy Ucheibe also featuring in the convincing performance.
Sports247 reports that Oshoala continued her contribution to Al Hilal’s attacking campaign by finding the back of the net in the 65th minute, helping the visitors strengthen their advantage in a dominant display.
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The Nigerian forward’s goal came during an impressive second-half performance from Al Hilal, who added three goals after the interval to complete a comprehensive victory.
Moroccan forward Ibtissam Jraidi opened the scoring in the 11th minute, giving Al Hilal an early advantage before the teams went into the break.
Oshoala doubled the visitors’ lead in the 65th minute before Manar Al-Anzi made it 3-0 just four minutes later.
Jraidi then completed her brace in the 88th minute, sealing the emphatic 4-0 result for Al Hilal.
Christy Ucheibe, Oshoala’s Super Falcons teammate, also played a part in the victory as the Nigerian duo continued to make their contributions to the Saudi Arabian club.
The result represents another important outing for Al Hilal, with the team’s attacking quality evident in the performance against NEOM.
For Oshoala, the goal provides another opportunity to demonstrate her goalscoring ability and importance at club level. The six-time African Women’s Player of the Year remains one of Nigeria’s most recognisable football exports, and her performances continue to attract attention.
The presence of both Oshoala and Ucheibe in Al Hilal’s squad also highlights the growing influence of Nigerian players in women’s football outside the country.
With the emphatic away victory secured, Al Hilal will look to build on the performance in their subsequent fixtures.
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