La Liga
Atlético Madrid Complete Signing of Ademola Lookman on Four-Year Deal
Atlético Madrid have officially announced the signing of Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman on a four-year contract, bringing an end to weeks of speculation surrounding his future.
The Spanish giants confirmed the transfer on Monday evening via an official statement on the club’s website, revealing that an agreement had been reached with Italian side Atalanta for the 28-year-old attacker, who will remain at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano until 30 June 2030.
“Atlético de Madrid and Atalanta have agreed on the transfer of Ademola Lookman, who has signed for us until 30 June 2030,” the club said. “A versatile and dynamic right-footed player, he is capable of playing as a second striker or as a winger on either flank, where he makes the most of his pace and dribbling ability.”
Lookman successfully passed his medical examinations at the Vithas-Invictum High-Performance Sports Medicine Centre at the Arturo Soria University Hospital in Madrid before completing the formalities at the club’s offices. He was welcomed by Atlético’s Chief Executive Officer, Miguel Ángel Gil, with whom he signed his contract.
Born on 20 October 1997 in Wandsworth, London, Lookman developed through the youth systems of Waterloo FC and Charlton Athletic, making his senior debut for Charlton in November 2015. He later featured for Everton, RB Leipzig, Fulham and Leicester City, gaining valuable experience across Europe before joining Atalanta in the summer of 2022.
It was in Bergamo that Lookman truly flourished, re-establishing himself as one of Europe’s most dangerous attackers. He played a central role in Atalanta’s historic 2023/24 UEFA Europa League triumph, scoring a sensational hat-trick in the 3–0 final victory over Bayer Leverkusen—handing the German side their only defeat of the season and delivering Atalanta’s first-ever continental trophy.
During his time with the Nerazzurri, Lookman made 137 appearances, scoring 55 goals and providing 27 assists, performances that elevated his standing on the global stage.
Internationally, Lookman represented England at youth level and was part of the Three Lions’ 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup-winning squad. He made his senior debut for Nigeria in March 2022 and has since earned 41 caps, scoring 11 goals for the Super Eagles.
The move to Atlético Madrid also sees Lookman make history, becoming the first English-born player to have featured in the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A and La Liga. Only a select few players—just 21 in total—have achieved that feat, with only three appearing across all of Europe’s “big five” leagues.
In 2024, Lookman’s outstanding performances were recognised globally when he was named African Footballer of the Year. He was also the only African player shortlisted for the men’s Ballon d’Or, finishing 14th in the rankings.
Atlético Madrid, currently third in La Liga and trailing leaders Barcelona by ten points, have strengthened their attacking options significantly with Lookman’s arrival. His blend of speed, versatility and big-game pedigree is expected to add fresh impetus to Diego Simeone’s squad as they push for domestic and European success.
