By Dayo Awoniyi
Galatasaray have revived their pursuit of Nigeria international Ademola Lookman ahead of the January transfer window, reopening negotiations with the forward’s representatives after failing to secure his signature last summer.
Lookman, who is increasingly open to leaving Atalanta, came close to a move during the previous window but a deal could not be finalised.
With interest from multiple Turkish clubs rising once again, Galatasaray are now preparing what sources describe as a “serious and improved” offer aimed at convincing Atalanta to sanction a mid-season sale.
The 28-year-old, widely considered one of Africa’s most dynamic attacking talents, attracted strong interest last summer despite a quiet start to the current campaign.
He has scored just one goal in 10 appearances so far this season, but his larger body of work remains compelling, with 53 goals and 23 assists in 128 games since joining Atalanta in 2022.
Lookman remains under contract until 2027, but Atalanta may be tempted to cash in if Galatasaray present a substantial bid—especially as the Turkish champions are pushing aggressively to sign the reigning African Footballer of the Year.
With the January window fast approaching, the contest for Lookman’s signature is shaping up to be one of the major transfer sagas of the winter.
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.
