Chelsea confirm £40m signing in Deadline Day transfer twist

The young defender will join in a deal worth £40million after spending the season on loan at Crystal Palace.As Chelsea have already sent Axel Disasi to Palace for the rest of the current campain, Ahanor moves to Selhurst Park as an Atalanta player before officially joining Chelsea next summer.Premier League rules prevent Palace from loaning two players from Chelsea.A Chelsea statement on Deadline Day read: "Chelsea has agreed a deal to sign Italian international Honest Ahanor from Serie A side Atalanta, with the defender officially joining in 2027."Ahanor, 18, made 35 appearances for Atalanta last campaign, his first season in Bergamo having arrived from Genoa in July 2025, and his excellent form at club level saw him earn his first two senior appearances for the Italian national team back in June."Honest AhanorChelsea FCThe teenager is a product of the Genoa academy and has already represented Italy twice at senior level, making his debut earlier this year.Ahanor made 28 Serie A appearances for Atalanta last season and made his Champions League debut last September.Chelsea are set for a busy Deadline Day, with Enzo Fernandez pushing to leave and the Blues identifying Lamine Camara as a potential replacement.Elsewhere, Shim Mheuka is set to join Celtic on a season-long loan deal.The Scottish giants are ready to offer the striker the chance of game time this season after he committed his long-term future to Chelsea a week ago.Mheuka is highly thought of at Chelsea and was awarded Premier League 2 player of the year last season.