Super Eagles striker Ademola Lookman is ready to leave Atalanta.
TMW says the Nigeria striker has informed Atalanta management that he plans to leave this summer.
Lookman and La Dea management have a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ about leaving a decision to the player at season’s end over his future.
The striker is now set to leave, knowing he has interest from bigger clubs from across Europe.
Barcelona and Newcastle United are among major clubs watching Lookman’s situation.
Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman has criticised comments by his own coach Gian Piero Gasperini describing him as “one of the worst penalty takers”.
Lookman scored 34 seconds after coming on as a half-time substitute but also missed a penalty as Atalanta exited the Champions League against Club Brugge on Tuesday.
After the match, Gasperini said Lookman was not supposed to take the penalty and claimed the 27-year-old had a “frankly terrible record even in training”.
“Being singled out in the manner I have been not only hurts but feels deeply disrespectful, not least because of the immense hard work and commitment I have always put in each and every day to help bring success to this club and to the incredible fans of Bergamo,” Lookman responded on social media on Wednesday.
The Nigeria international added: “In truth, I have dealt with many difficult moments during my time here – the majority of which I have never spoken about because in my opinion the team must always be protected and must come first.
“This makes what happened last night even more hurtful. Along with our incredible fans, we as a team are hurting too with last night’s result.”
According to Gasperini, team-mates Mateo Retegui or Charles de Ketelaere should have taken the spot-kick.
However, Lookman said he was instructed by “the designated penalty taker” to take it.
“Lookman was not supposed to take that penalty, he is one of the worst penalty takers I’ve ever seen,” said Italian Gasperini.
“He has a frankly terrible record even in training, he converts very few of them. Retegui and De Ketelaere were there, but Lookman in a moment of enthusiasm after scoring decided to take the ball and that was a gesture I did not appreciate at all.”
Before last night’s Champions League exit, Lookman had a perfect penalty record for Atalanta, scoring all four penalties he had taken.
The reigning African Footballer of the Year has now converted four out of six penalties in his professional career, having also missed one for Fulham when he attempted a Panenka-style spot-kick in 2020.
Lookman scored a hat-trick as Atalanta beat Bayer Leverkusen in last year’s Europa League final, while he has 15 goals for his club in all competitions this season.
But the Serie A side were beaten 3-1 by Club Brugge in their second leg, losing 5-2 on aggregate as they missed out on the last 16.
After his comments on social media, the official X account of Nigeria’s men’s national team posted in support of the forward.
“We are with you Ade,” the message read.
Atalanta jumped back to the top of the Serie A standings with a Charles De Ketelaere-inspired 3-2 win at home to Empoli on Sunday, while inconsistent Roma thrashed Parma 5-0.
De Ketelaere was twice on target for Atalanta in the topsy-turvy encounter — his second goal proving to be the winner with just four minutes left on the clock.
Ademola Lookman was also on the scoresheet to ensure Gian Piero Gasperini’s side leapfrogged Napoli back into top spot.
The Bergamo-based side restored their two-point buffer over Napoli, who had moved a point ahead of them following their 2-1 win at Genoa on Saturday.
Lorenzo Colombo gave 11th-placed Empoli the lead at the Gewiss Stadium on 13 minutes.
But De Ketelaere hit back to level for the Europa League champions four minutes after the half-hour.
Recently crowned African player of the year, Lookman got his 12th goal of the season in all competitions to put Atalanta in front in first-half added time.
Sebastiano Esposito pegged back Atalanta on 57 minutes, converting from the penalty spot.
As the game crept towards a disappointing draw that would have still sent Atalanta back top on goal difference, Belgian midfielder De Ketelaere popped up with his fifth league goal this term in the 86th minute.
The 23-year-old showed skill and composure to glide along the edge of the box until a chance presented itself, and he then fired off a disguised left-footed shot which flashed past the goalkeeper.
Earlier, Roma bounced back from last weekend’s surprise 2-0 loss at Como, which had left Claudio Ranieri’s side within two points of the drop zone, to thump Parma in the Italian capital.
Paulo Dybala hit a brace, with goals also coming from Alexis Saelemaekers, Leandro Paredes and Artem Dovbyk as Roma moved to 10th place.
Parma remain one point above the drop zone in 16th spot.
Dybala converted a penalty and Saelemaekers slammed home a volley to give the home side a 2-0 lead inside the opening quarter of an hour.
The Argentinian netted his second six minutes after the break. Paredes then scored from 12 yards in the 74th minute and Ukrainian striker Dovbyk put the cherry on top for the Romans with seven minutes remaining.
Venezia climbed off the bottom of the table with a vital 2-1 home win over fellow strugglers Cagliari.
Francesco Zampano and Marin Sverko scored either side of the break for the hosts, before Leonardo Pavoletti pulled one back for the Sardinians inside the final 15 minutes.
The result leaves Cagliari 18th on 14 points, one ahead of Venezia, with Monza propping up the standings with 10 points.
Monza can send Venezia back to the bottom of the pile later on Sunday, but to do so they must inflict a first league defeat of the season on Juventus
Arsenal are reportedly on the verge of securing Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman from Atalanta in a major £42.5 million swap deal.
According to Sportitalia, the Gunners have offered €50 million (around £42.5 million) and are willing to include defender Jakub Kiwior as part of the transaction. Including Kiwior in the deal could potentially lower the transfer fee.
The Polish defender, who was absent from Mikel Arteta’s squad for Arsenal’s season-opening victory over Wolves, is expected to depart North London soon, regardless of whether he joins Atalanta.
Lookman has drawn significant interest following his outstanding performance in the Europa League final, where he netted a hat-trick against Bayer Leverkusen.
The 26-year-old winger has also attracted attention from PSG and several Saudi Pro League clubs this summer.
Reflecting on his recent success, Lookman said after the Europa League final, “Over the past few years, I’ve been able to elevate my game on a more consistent basis. Maybe it could have happened earlier, but I’m pleased with the progress I’ve made now.
This is just the beginning, and I’m aiming for more nights like this, to keep improving. That’s the key.”
Atalanta has set a minimum price tag of €40m for Ademola Lookman’s transfer, amid growing frustration with Paris Saint-Germain’s approach.
PSG has offered Lookman a significant salary increase, more than doubling his current €1.8m per season, without contacting Atalanta for negotiations.
This move has angered Atalanta, particularly given the similar situation with Teun Koopmeiners and Juventus.
As a result, Atalanta is unwilling to sell Lookman for less than €40m, especially considering the late stage of the transfer window and the difficulty in finding a suitable replacement.
Lookman, who scored a hat-trick in the Europa League Final and started the UEFA Super Cup against Real Madrid, has asked to be left out of tonight’s Serie A match against Lecce, fueling speculation about his transfer. Saudi Pro League teams are also interested, but PSG is the primary cause of Lookman’s desire to leave Atalanta.
In a thrilling UEFA Super Cup final held in Poland, Real Madrid once again demonstrated their dominance in European football. Despite a goalless first half, the Galacticos broke the deadlock in the 58th minute when Federico Valverde latched onto a precise pass from Vinícius Júnior, sending the ball into the net and igniting celebrations among the Madrid faithful.
The excitement continued as Kylian Mbappé, making his debut for the Spanish champions, scored a stunning second goal in the 67th minute. His goal not only solidified Madrid’s lead but also marked a memorable start to his career at the club.
Throughout the match, the Italian side struggled to break down Madrid’s solid defense, with all their efforts to score proving abortive. The final whistle confirmed Real Madrid’s 2-0 victory, securing their sixth UEFA Super Cup title.
This triumph further cemented Real Madrid’s status as the most successful club in UEFA Champions League and Super Cup history. Having featured in the Super Cup nine times and winning it six times, the club’s legacy continues to grow, showcasing their relentless pursuit of excellence on the European stage.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has named a formidable squad featuring stars like Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham, and Rodrygo to face Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup final.
The Los Blancos will clash with the Serie A side at the National Stadium in Warsaw. Real Madrid approach this match after a victory against Chelsea in their final pre-season friendly. Ancelotti’s squad secured the UEFA Champions League title last season, while Gian Piero Gasperini’s team clinched the UEFA Europa League.
Here is Real Madrid’s squad for the match against Atalanta:
**Goalkeepers:** Courtois, Lunin, Fran
**Defenders:** Carvajal, Militão, Alaba, Lucas V., Vallejo, Fran García, Rüdiger, F. Mendy, Jacobo
**Midfielders:** Bellingham, Camavinga, Valverde, Modrić, Tchouameni, Arda Güler, Ceballos
**Forwards:** Vini Jr, Mbappé, Rodrygo, Endrick, Brahim
Nigerian – born Caleb Okoli has completed his move to Premier League club, Leicester City.
Okoli who hails from both Nigeria and Italy joined the newly promoted side from Serie A side Atalanta
“I think now is the right moment [for me] to make a step forward and a very big one. I’m very happy with the choice I made, so I’m very excited to start in the Premier League. Now I’m here in Leicester I’m feeling ready to start with my new team,” Okoli told Leicester City’s official website.
“It was the right opportunity and it’s very important for me. The Premier League is the best league in the world. Leicester is a beautiful club, an important club, and the two combined together, so I took this opportunity to come and express myself in the Premier League.”
The defender spent the entire last season on loan at Frosinone.
He made 37 appearances across all competitions, spending 3,215 minutes on the pitch.
Nigerian international and Atalanta of Italy forward, Ademola Lookman on Sunday scored and provided an assist in Le Dea’s 3-2 defeat to Fiorentina in the Serie A’s last game of the season on Sunday.
Lookman cancelled out Andrea Belotti’s opening goal in the 13th minute.
The 24-year–old got a perfectly timed through ball from Charles De Ketelaere and beat debutant Tommaso Martinelli with a chip finish.
Few minutes later he then set up Giorgio Scalvini for the second goal in the 32nd minute.
Lookman finished the season with 17 goals and nine assists across all competitions.
The winger was Atalanta’s top scorer last season.
The Nigerian forward is in contention for the African footballer of the year after putting up fantastic season for both club and country.
Europa League hero and Super Eagles of Nigeria forward, Ademola Lookman is the cynosure of all eyes after he scored a spectacular hat-trick against a 51-match unbeaten Leverkusen thus ending the unbeaten run of the German champions and their quest to win a treble this season.
Ademola Olajade Alade Aylola Lookman MON is a professional footballer who plays as a winger for Serie A club Atalanta. Born in England, he plays for the Nigeria national team.
Lookman made his senior debut in 2015, playing as a forward for Charlton Athletic of the Championship.
Lookman’s Country of Birth
Ademola Lookman was born on the 20th October 1997 in Wandsworth, London, United Kingdom, he’s aged 26 years.
Lookman is of average height that stands at 5 ft 9 in (1.74 m)
YOUTH Career
Lookman joined Charlton Athletic’s academy in 2014 after signing from Waterloo, a youth football club based in the London Borough of Lambeth. His goalscoring record for Charlton’s U18 and U21 teams led to him making a rapid ascent through the Charlton academy ranks and he made his first-team debut for the Addicks on 3 November 2015.
He scored his first goal for the club in a 3–2 defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion on 5 December 2015 and then followed that up with both Charlton’s goals in a 2–2 draw with Bolton Wanderers ten days later.
England were champions of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, after defeating Venezuela in the final of the 2017 tournament. From October 2023, the squad was rebranded as the England Men’s Elite League Squad to reflect their participation in the Under 20 Elite League.
He played an integral part in the 2017 winning U-20 team.
However, his desire to don the white and Red jerseys of England was repeatedly dashed hence his decision to make a U-turn and play for the Super Eagles of Nigeria after being convinced by Amaju Pinnick.
Lookman made his senior debut in 2015, playing as a forward for Charlton Athletic of the Championship.
He scored his first goal for the club in a 3-2 defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion on 5 December 2015, and then followed that up with both Charlton’s goals in a 2-2 draw with Bolton Wanderers ten days later.
He signed for Everton in January 2017, where he played mainly as a winger
He also made his debut for the Merseyside club ten days later in a 4-0 victory over Manchester City, replacing Ross Barkley in the 90th minute and scoring the team’s fourth goal.
Lookman also made his first European appearance for Everton in a 1-0 win over MFK Ruzomberok in the Europa League third qualifying round first leg.
Eventually, he would be loaned out to Bundesliga club, RB Leipzig in the 2018 January Transfer window.
In his first game with Leipzig, Lookman scored the winning goal in the away game against Borussia Monchengladbach after coming on as a late substitute.
In July 2019, Lookman returned to RB Leipzig on a five-year contract, before being loaned out to Premier League side Fulham on a season-long loan in September 2020.
Ademola Lookman finally joined Serie A side, Atalanta on a permanent move in the 2022-23 season for €9.35 million from German side, RB Leipzig.
Ademola Lookman became only the fourth footballer to score a hat trick in a one-legged European final after Ferenc Puskas (vs. Frankfurt 1959/60, vs. Benfica 1961/62), Alfredo Di Stefano (vs. Frankfurt 1959/60), and Pierino Patti (vs. Ajax 1968/69).
On 22 May 2024, he scored his first career hat-trick in the Europa League final in the Dublin Arena, as Atalanta defeated Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 to end their 51-game unbeaten run and win the trophy for the first time in history.
Super Eagles Journey
After being convinced by former Nigeria Football Federation boss, Lookman made his debut for Nigeria as a 24-year-old in 2022 after waiting endlessly for an England senior national team call-up, despite representing the Three Lions across multiple age grades.
As a player for the Super Eagles, Lookman has been touted as one of the future stars of the national team, having helped his club side lift the 2023/24 Europa League title.