Italy are producing a new generation of modern defenders, with Honest Ahanor one of the most exciting prospects of the lot.The country that brought us the likes of Paolo Maldini and Franco Baresi may be in somewhat of a national slump right now, but in the likes of Riccardo Calafiori and Alessandro Bastoni, there is a unique defensive profile emerging from Serie A.Honest Ahanor might just be the next big hit: here's your two-minute scout report.
So… who exactly is Honest Ahanor?
Name: Honest Ahanor
Position/s: Centre-back, left-back
Age: 18 (Born: February 23, 2008)
Nationality: Nigeria/Italy
Height: 1.84m (6ft 0in)
Preferred Foot: Left
Current Club: Atalanta
Honest Ahanor is a very modern Italian defender: rather like Calafiori, he's equally comfortable at centre-back and left-back, can pass and carry, and cites Maldini has his hero. Yet as a son of Nigerian parents, Italian law prevents him and other second-generation immigrants from representing the Azzurri's youth teams – despite the fact that he was born in Aversa.Ahanor joined Genoa's academy at a young age and made his Serie A debut last season, before moving to Atalanta last summer. The 18-year-old has since appeared in the Champions League and become a regular for La Dia – and now he's the subject of a tug-of-war for his services… at club and international level.
Ahanor's strengths
Tactical versatility: Having played as a centre-back, a left-back and even a left wing-back, Ahanor has the intelligence not just to slot into a multitude of roles but to adapt his game depending on the state and system. While Atalanta have primarily used him at centre-back this season, he is perfectly suited to a hybrid centre-back/full-back role.Ball-carrying and press resistance: With a leggy, yet graceful, running style, Ahanor is almost unstoppable when he bolts from the back. He's unafraid to run through the centre of the pitch as well as down the left flank, too – and by inviting attackers to close him down before feinting, he's comfortable evading high pressure. Passing: Ahanor is incredibly composed on the ball. He can disguise his raking balls forward into the channels, offers excellent security over short distances, and his ability to break lines with his passing is superb for his age. Ball-winning intelligence and transitional touch: With a knack for stepping out from the back to snatch the ball from attackers, Ahanor has good timing for an interception, using his long stride to adjust his position and cover passing lanes: the Calafiori comparisons are apt, though the Arsenal man is a lot more of an aggressive tackler. Ahanor has a great habit, too, of using his first touch when he intercepts to turn defence into attack, controlling the ball for a transition, rather than booting it away. Physical core and explosiveness: At 6ft tall, Ahanor is a physical specimen for just 18 years old and has a very strong core. His uses every inch of his physique when it comes to battling in and out of possession, and though he isn't a speed merchant of a full-back, he is rapid enough to keep up with even the quickest attackers over the first five yards.
Ahanor's areas of development
Weak foot and angle bias: An issue with plenty of left-footed defenders, Ahanor is particularly one-footed, and the angles of his passing show that. He favours passing inside to midfield and cross-field diagonals, and risks becoming a little predictable. Improving his weaker right could also unlock something for him in attack, enabling him to cut in off his right foot, as well as whip the ball with his left.Duelling: Despite his height, Ahanor isn't a natural header of the ball – and he could do with working on his duel-winning on the ground, too. Given the aforementioned angle bias, he often approaches 50/50s side on, looking to force attackers wide: but if he is to have a future as a centre-back, he will need to learn how to angle his stance. Positional discipline: Ahanor has good positional discipline – and is still developing this side of his game – but sometimes, he can be dragged out of shape when he looks to step up and press from the backline. Whether duelling 1v1 by a touchline or as part of a back three centrally, he often looks to bait an attacker into taking him on, before relying on his recovery pace – but that comes with risks.
Ahanor's ceiling
DEFENDERS Victor Valdepenas, Marco Palestra, Ethan Pye
Teenagers with tactical versatility like this are all the rage these days – and looking at a player like Jorrel Hato, it's not hard to imagine a similar trajectory for Ahanor. Luckily, he is currently playing in a system tailor-made development, given that he's featuring on the left of a back three with license to advance forwerd and cover behind him. A full-back role seems likely in the future, should he sign for one of Europe's elite.
