Honest Ahanor: Big Boost for Super Eagles As Italy Drops Nigeria-Eligible Defender From Azzurri
- Crystal Palace defender Honest Ahanor was left out of Italy's squad for their UEFA Nations League match against France in October 2026
- Ahanor, who is of Nigerian descent, still has room under FIFA rules to switch his international allegiance to the Super Eagles
- Another Italian-born Nigerian-descent defender has already been ruled out of representing Nigeria after making his competitive debut for Italy
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Crystal Palace defender Honest Ahanor was left out of Italy's squad for their UEFA Nations League fixture against France, keeping his Super Eagles eligibility alive ahead of the October 2026 international window.
Ahanor has been on the radar of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) but was recently called up to the Italian national team by Roberto Mancini for the September international window.
Source: Getty Images
According to Yahoo Sports, the Azzurri dropped nine players from the travelling party to Saint-Denis, with Ahanor joined on the omission list by Nicolò Cambiaghi, Diego Coppola, Daniele Ghilardi, Samuele Inacio, Eddy Kouadio, Rolando Mandragora, Massimo Pessina and Alessandro Romano.
Why Ahanor's omission matters for Nigeria
Ahanor was born in Aversa, Italy, but qualifies for the Super Eagles through his Nigerian parents.
He has made two senior appearances for Italy, both in summer friendlies against Luxembourg and Greece, which means he has not yet crossed the threshold that would permanently bind him to the Azzurri.
Under FIFA eligibility rules, a player under the age of 21 can switch international allegiance as long as he has not made more than three senior appearances for a national team.
Ahanor needed to feature in at least two more matches this month to exhaust that allowance and become cap-tied to Italy.
His omission from the squad ensures that will not happen during this window.
Currently on loan at Crystal Palace from Chelsea, the defender therefore remains available for Nigeria to pursue at senior level.
He would only lose that eligibility after a fourth senior appearance for Italy.
Kayode already cap-tied to Italy
The situation contrasts sharply with that of Brentford defender Michael Kayode, another Italian-born player of Nigerian descent who is no longer eligible for the Super Eagles.
Kayode made his competitive debut for Italy in their 4-1 win over Turkey on September 28, a result that sealed his international future with the Azzurri.
The development underlines the urgency for Nigeria's football authorities to move quickly on dual-nationality players who remain in the window of eligibility.
While Ahanor has not been approached or confirmed as a Super Eagles target in any official capacity, his continued cap availability makes him a player of clear interest.
Nigeria's search for quality defenders
The Super Eagles have faced scrutiny in recent times over the depth and quality of their defensive options, making the availability of players like Ahanor significant for whoever leads the national team's recruitment efforts.
Ahanor's development at Atalanta and his loan stint at Crystal Palace have given him exposure at a high level, suggesting he is the kind of talent Nigeria's football administrators could look to secure before the situation changes.
The October international window will pass without Ahanor adding to his Italy tally, leaving the door open for Nigeria to make their move in the months ahead.
Ahanor and Kayode called by Italy
Earlier, Legit.ng reported about Ahanor and Kayode were called up to Italy’s squad for the September-October international break.
Both players had been on the NFF’s radar, but their Italy call-ups bring Nigeria’s pursuit close to an end. If they feature in the matches, they could be permanently tied to the Azzurri.
Source: Legit.ng
