Four Reasons Why Europe’s Elite Will Pursue Ademola Lookman In January Despite Atalanta Goal Drought

According to the latest Ademola Lookman transfer news, a number of Europe’s elite are plotting to bid for the Atalanta star in January. 

Lookman tried to navigate his own exit from Bergamo this summer which ultimately failed. Inter Milan pushed hard to sign the La Dea star but a fee couldn’t be agreed.

That led to Lookman handing in a formal transfer request to try and force through a move. However, that never came to fruition either.

Lookman missed the majority of pre-season which tarnished his reputation with supporters. The 2023-24 Europa League final hat-trick hero has seemingly put those incidents behind him but Ivan Juric will be readying himself for more transfer activity in the winter.

Ademola Lookman Transfer News

Although a new Ademola Lookman contract was discussed last month, it seems apparent that the Atalanta star won’t be penning a new deal in Bergamo.

Instead, La Dea is set to receive a number of inquiries for the recently-turned 28-year-old forward. The likes of Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich, PSG, Manchester City and Tottenham are all keen.

Closer to home, Inter Milan and Roma are also in line to test Ivan Juric’s resolve. The head coach at the New Balance Arena will only negotiate a deal with the board if the price is in line with their valuation.

Naturally, losing a big-name player mid-season is not ideal and if Lookman re-announces he wants to leave, it doesn’t provide many alternatives.

If a suitable replacement can be discovered and a deal struck, that would mean the Nigerian international is more likely to leave in the January transfer window.

Why Did Ademola Lookman Try And Quit Atalanta?

Quite simply, Ademola Lookman tried to quit as he wanted to try a new venture at a bigger club. Lookman – who has been included in Atalanta’s UCL squad – felt like he achieved all that he could in Bergamo.

His name was catapulted into the stratosphere to some extent after his treble downed Bayer Leverkusen in the UEL final. The Bundesliga giants had gone the whole of 2023-24 unbeaten in all competitions until Lookman come along.

His heroics further highlighted just how much he has achieved in Italy. Especially as he struggled at a number of English Premier League clubs.

As it stands, Lookman has scored a total of 52 goals in 121 appearances across all competitions. He was named as Atalanta’s Player of the Season on two occasions.

Last year, he was included in the Serie A Team of the Season and his efforts have helped make La Dea a UCL regular. With the above in mind, the Nigerian is now ready to test himself at a higher level.

What Is Ademola Lookman’s Price Tag?

When supporters reacted to Ademola Lookman’s transfer request, it became clear how much Atalanta actually wanted for their star man.

Inter Milan bid €45million but La Dea wanted €55m. That price tag was only applicable to clubs in Serie A. It was reported a bid of €50m would have been accepted for teams playing across the continent and beyond.

Fast-forward to January, it’s likely the Italians will trim their valuation slightly. Especially as his current deal runs out in 2027 and Lookman won’t likely sign a new contract.

Losing him mid-season would command a more handsome sum than it perhaps would next summer. It’s fair to assume a bid in the region of €40-45m would be enough to start negotiations.

Four Reasons Why Europe’s Elite Want Ademola Lookman

Although Ademola Lookman is yet to register a goal or assist so far this season, he certainly offers plenty to potential suitors across Europe.

His barren spell will surely end sooner rather than later and it’s his keen eye for goal in previous seasons that has alerted the continents finest to his talents.

Furthermore, his explosive pace and versatility as a winger is something the big clubs look for. Especially those who adopt an attacking style of play.

Defensively, Lookman is more than capable of chipping in and helping out when needed. The 2024 African Player of the Year is in his prime years and would make a fine addition to any of Europe’s elite.