In a transfer deadline day move that reinforces Atlético Madrid’s attacking ambitions, the Spanish club has completed the signing of Nigerian international forward Ademola Lookman from Italy’s Atalanta BC.
The deal, valued at €35 million with an additional €5 million in potential add-ons, secures the services of the 28-year-old until the summer of 2030.
Atlético Madrid confirmed the acquisition on Monday, following an agreement in principle announced the previous day. “Atlético de Madrid and Atalanta have agreed on the transfer of Ademola Lookman, who has signed for us until 30 June 2030,” the club stated.
The player successfully underwent his medical examination at the Vithas-Invictum High-Performance Sports Medicine Centre in Madrid before formalizing his contract at the club’s offices, where he was greeted by CEO Miguel Ángel Gil.
Lookman arrives in the Spanish capital after a transformative and historic stint in Serie A. Since joining Atalanta from RB Leipzig in 2022, he scored 55 goals and provided 27 assists.
His crowning achievement came in the 2024 Europa League final, where his remarkable hat-trick defeated the previously unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen, securing Atalanta’s first European trophy and their first major honor in 61 years.
That phenomenal season, which included 17 goals and 10 assists, was followed by a 20-goal campaign in 2024-25 and culminated in him being crowned the 2024 African Footballer of the Year and finishing 14th in the Ballon d’Or rankings.
For manager Diego Simeone’s side, currently third in La Liga and ten points behind leaders Barcelona, Lookman represents a significant offensive enhancement.
The club described him as “a versatile and dynamic right-footed player… capable of playing both as a second striker and as a winger on either flank,” highlighting his pace and dribbling ability.
His signing follows the January departures of several players, including Conor Gallagher and Rodrigo de Paul, making him the club’s first major addition of the winter window.
This transfer also marks a personal milestone for the London-born footballer. By stepping onto the pitch for Atlético, Lookman will become the first English-born player to have competed in the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A, and La Liga, joining an exclusive group of just 21 players to achieve that feat.
He began his career at Charlton Athletic before moves to Everton, RB Leipzig, and loan spells at Fulham and Leicester City, eventually choosing to represent Nigeria at the international level, for whom he scored three goals at the recent Africa Cup of Nations.
The move concludes Lookman’s emotional and trophy-laden chapter in Italy. In a farewell to Atalanta fans, he reflected on a “historic spell” that ended the club’s long wait for silverware.
He now faces the new challenge of adapting to Simeone’s demanding system as Atlético prepares for crucial UEFA Champions League playoff matches against Club Brugge later this month.