By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Inter Milan are closing in on a deal to sign Super Eagles winger Ademola Lookman from Atalanta, with the player reportedly agreeing to personal terms, according to multiple sources.
The 26-year-old, recently crowned CAF Player of the Year, is attracting significant interest across Europe following his standout performances in Serie A and on the international stage.
While Atletico Madrid are also in the race, Inter appear to be leading the pursuit after productive talks with the player’s representatives.
According to Italian transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio, Inter have made Lookman their top attacking target and are preparing a formal bid of around €40 million.
Atalanta are understood to be holding out for a fee closer to €50 million but may be open to negotiations.
Spanish giants Atletico Madrid have also shown concrete interest but are yet to submit an official offer.
Reports suggest that while they maintain a strong relationship with Atalanta, they are aiming to negotiate the asking price before making a move.
Lookman played a key role in Atalanta’s successful 2024 campaign, including his memorable hat-trick in the UEFA Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen, which significantly boosted his market value and profile.
With personal terms reportedly agreed, the ball is now in Inter’s court to finalize a deal with Atalanta as they look to strengthen their squad ahead of the 2025/26 season.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
