By Oluwadamilola Olaleye
Spanish side Atletico Madrid have made initial contact with Atalanta over a potential move for Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman, according to Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport.
The Super Eagles winger is among the most sought-after players in the current transfer window, following a standout campaign with Atalanta.
The Serie A club are reportedly holding firm on a €50 million valuation, as interest grows across Europe.
Atletico’s approach is understood to be the first formal move, but they face competition from Napoli, where newly appointed manager Antonio Conte is said to be an admirer of the former Everton and RB Leipzig player.
However, sources close to the negotiations suggest that Atalanta are unlikely to lower their price, potentially complicating any deal.
Napoli, meanwhile, are believed to be assessing other options as talks over Lookman remain at an early stage.
Lookman’s future remains uncertain, but with multiple top-tier clubs expressing interest, the 26-year-old is expected to be at the centre of one of the summer’s key transfer stories.
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.
