ENGLAND: Two more Premier League clubs have entered the race to sign Nigerian international Ademola Lookman from Serie A side Atalanta, as Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa join Arsenal in pursuit of the in-form forward.
Lookman, 27, has been outstanding for Atalanta since his 2022 move from RB Leipzig, scoring 20 goals and providing seven assists in 40 appearances last season.
His stunning hat-trick in the Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen and his African Footballer of the Year award in 2024 have placed him firmly on the radar of Europe’s elite clubs.
While Inter Milan remain the frontrunners having agreed personal terms with the player the Italian giants have twice seen bids of €40–€45 million rejected.
Nigeria Atlanta forward Lookman.
Atalanta are holding out for around €50 million, creating tension after Lookman reportedly missed training sessions and relocated to London to push for a resolution.
Tottenham see Lookman as a potential successor to Son Heung-min, while Aston Villa, with ambitions of strengthening their European push, may need to offload Morgan Rogers or Ollie Watkins to finance the move. Arsenal continue to monitor developments closely.
Despite interest from Napoli, Atletico Madrid, Nottingham Forest, and Manchester United, Lookman is said to prefer a move to Inter Milan.
However, Atalanta’s management has insisted that any gentleman’s agreement to sell does not apply to Italian clubs, further complicating negotiations.
With Transfer market valuing the forward at €60 million, Tottenham and Aston Villa’s entry into the race could spark a bidding war before the transfer window closes.
