Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion have intensified their pursuit of Nigerian-born defender Honest Ahanor after submitting a bid worth approximately €34 million (£30 million) to Atalanta for the highly rated teenager, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.
According to transfer experts Ben Jacobs and Alex Crook, the Seagulls have now formalised their interest in the versatile defender after being linked with him earlier this week as they continue to strengthen their squad ahead of the new season.
Should Atalanta accept the proposal, the Serie A side would make a substantial profit on the player, having signed Ahanor from Genoa for €20 million only last summer. The transfer made him the second-most expensive Italian 17-year-old in football history at the time.
Since arriving in Bergamo, the 18-year-old has continued his rapid rise, establishing himself in Atalanta's first team with 41 senior appearances across all competitions, including nine outings in the UEFA Champions League.
His impressive performances have not gone unnoticed, attracting interest from clubs across Europe while also earning him his first senior call-up to the Italian national team earlier this month.
Ahanor was included in interim coach Silvio Baldini's squad for friendly matches against Luxembourg and Greece, featuring alongside a group largely composed of Italy Under-21 players as the youngster took another significant step in his international career.
Despite Brighton's ambitious offer, Atalanta are not under immediate pressure to sell. The Italian club are expected to receive around €105 million from the impending transfers of Marco Palestra to Chelsea and Ederson to Manchester United, placing them in a strong financial position during the transfer window.
With Atalanta under no obligation to cash in on one of their brightest young talents, it remains to be seen whether Brighton's €34 million bid will be enough to convince the Europa League side to part ways with the promising defender.