By Wale Mustapha
Atalanta are reportedly preparing to offer Nigerian winger Ademola Lookman a new contract as the Serie A club moves to secure his long-term future.
According to Tuttomercatoweb, the Bergamo side is ready to table an improved deal for the Super Eagles star, who returned to training on Thursday after a tense summer transfer standoff.
The 28-year-old had pushed for a move to Inter Milan, even going absent from team activities after Atalanta rejected approaches from the Nerazzurri.
Despite the fallout, the club is now keen to keep hold of their influential forward with a pay rise included in the proposed terms.
Lookman, who has two years remaining on his current contract, remains a key figure in Gian Piero Gasperini’s squad.
However, with the January transfer window looming, the Nigerian international could revisit the possibility of a move if fresh offers arrive.
Lookman has been a standout performer since joining Atalanta in 2022, scoring consistently in both Serie A and European competitions.
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.
