By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
The transfer saga surrounding Ademola Lookman is far from settled, with reports in Turkey suggesting Galatasaray are preparing a late push to lure the Nigerian winger away from Atalanta with a lucrative salary package.
Although the major European transfer window has closed, the Turkish Super Lig market remains open until September 12, giving Galatasaray room to manoeuvre. Local media indicate the Istanbul giants are weighing up a big-money bid to meet Atalanta’s valuation.
A move would pave the way for a tantalising all-Nigerian attacking partnership with Victor Osimhen, a prospect already stirring excitement among the Galatasaray faithful.
Atalanta, however, have so far resisted letting Lookman join a direct Serie A rival. Inter Milan saw at least three bids turned down during the summer, despite the forward’s desire to switch clubs.
The 26-year-old remains frozen out in Bergamo, training separately from the main squad and yet to feature this season after helping La Dea clinch their first-ever European title with the 2023 UEFA Europa League triumph.
Reports in Turkey suggest a €55 million package is under discussion, though no formal bid has been tabled. For now, the likeliest outcome appears to be Lookman staying put until at least January, unless Galatasaray accelerate negotiations in the coming days.
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.
