By Dayo Awoniyi
Inter Milan are closing in on a move for Nigeria forward Ademola Lookman, with club president Giuseppe Marotta suggesting that negotiations with Atalanta could reach a conclusion within days.
According to Italian media reports, the Nerazzurri have submitted a fresh and improved offer for the Nigerian international, moving closer to Atalanta’s €50 million valuation. An initial €40 million bid was rejected, but talks have since progressed.
Lookman, 26, is coming off a stellar 2024 campaign in which he starred for both Atalanta and Nigeria. His form has attracted significant attention, and Inter now appear to be in pole position to secure his signature.
Speaking to Sky Italia, Marotta confirmed that discussions with Atalanta are at an advanced stage.
“I don’t hide the fact that in the next two or three days we will reach the end of the discussions with Atalanta,” Marotta said.
“If the conditions are right, we will start a full negotiation and perhaps we will reach a final conclusion. Otherwise, we will make a different choice.”
Inter and Atalanta executives, including Atalanta CEO Luca Percassi, were seen in talks during the recent Serie A League Council meeting—further fuelling speculation that a deal could soon be finalized.
Lookman joined Atalanta from RB Leipzig in 2022 and has since become one of Serie A’s most consistent attacking performers, earning plaudits for his pace, creativity, and goal-scoring instincts.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He began his career 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.
