Liam Duckstein
Ademola Lookman is on the verge of a £30.3m switch to Atlético Madrid after Atalanta agreed a deal for the forward.
The 28-year-old Nigeria international will head to Spain for a medical—finalising his transfer from the Serie A side. Lookman, born in London, has been a standout performer since joining Atalanta in 2022, netting 55 goals in his two seasons with the Bergamo club.
His most memorable moment came in the 2024 Europa League final, where he scored a hat-trick against Bayer Leverkusen to secure Atalanta’s first-ever European trophy. The victory also ended Leverkusen’s 51-match unbeaten streak—Lookman became just the sixth player to net a treble in a European club final, and the first since 1975.
That stellar campaign earned him the African Footballer of the Year award.
Lookman’s journey began at Charlton Athletic, where he made his debut in 2015. A move to Everton followed two years later, and though he scored on his Premier League debut, he struggled to cement a starting role. A loan spell at RB Leipzig in early 2018 reignited his career, leading to a permanent £22.5m transfer to Germany in 2019.
His time in the Bundesliga was rocky—limited starts during the pandemic-disrupted 2019-20 season—but he rebounded with loan stints at Fulham and Leicester City. The move to Atalanta proved transformative, with Lookman rediscovering his form and becoming a key attacking threat.
Now, he takes on a new challenge in La Liga, joining a Atlético Madrid side known for its tactical intensity and defensive solidity. For Lookman, it’s another step forward in a career that’s already packed with highs—and a chance to prove himself in one of Europe’s toughest leagues.