Spanish La Liga giants Atlético Madrid have confirmed the signing of Nigerian international Ademola Lookman from Italian side Atalanta, with the forward already in Madrid ahead of a medical and contract finalisation.
Lookman, 28, travelled to Spain after Atlético and Atalanta reached an agreement on the transfer, which is reported to be worth around €35 million plus €5 million in add-ons. The Nigeria international put pen to paper pending his medical examination and the formal signing of his contract with Diego Simeone’s side.
Lookman scored a memorable hat-trick in the 2024 UEFA Europa League final for Atalanta as they beat Bayer Leverkusen to win the club’s first major European trophy and ended Leverkusen’s long unbeaten run.
Born in London, the winger began his senior career with Charlton Athletic before moves to Everton, RB Leipzig, and loans to Fulham and Leicester City. He joined Atalanta in 2022, where he established himself as one of Serie A’s most dynamic attackers.
Atlético Madrid are seeking to strengthen their attacking options as they challenge domestically and prepare for Champions League knockout football.
Editorial
The footballing world is seldom static it moves in patterns of ambition, recalibration and strategic evolution. Ademola Lookman’s transfer to Atlético Madrid is one of those moments that resonates beyond the simple exchange of shirts and signatures. It speaks to Atlético’s hunger for innovation and to the changing currents of European attacking play.
Lookman arrives at the Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano not as a peripheral figure, but as a player whose dynamism can reshape how Simeone’s side interrogate opposition defences. Traditionally, Atlético’s attacking identity has hinged on structure defensive resilience first, forward impetus second. Yet, in the modern game, creativity is as critical as discipline. Lookman, with his blend of directness, pace and tactical flexibility, embodies that synthesis.
This is not a signing born of whim. At approximately €40 million, Atlético’s acquisition represents a calculated investment in a forward who has proven his worth on both continental and domestic fronts. Lookman’s Europa League exploits — notably his historic hat-trick in the 2024 final are not mere footnotes they are chapters in a career defined by the ability to perform when stakes are highest.
Yet the narrative extends beyond statistics. At 28, he stands at the threshold of his prime a period when instinct, experience and physicality coalesce most potently. Atlético are banking on this convergence to invigorate their front line at a time when tactical fluidity is indispensable, not optional.
Crucially, this move signals Atlético’s belief that football’s evolution rewards those who can adapt attacking instinct within disciplined frameworks. For Lookman, it is a fresh canvas on which to paint his best work for Atlético, it may yet prove the stroke that balances ambition with execution in a La Liga title race and beyond.
Did You Know?
- Lookman’s hat-trick in the 2024 Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen made him the sixth player in history to score three goals in a major European final.
- Atlético Madrid’s deal reportedly includes €5 million in performance-based add-ons, illustrating how modern transfers are structured around impact, not just fixed fees.
- Lookman began his career at Charlton Athletic’s academy, rising through the English football pyramid before moving to Everton in 2017.
- Before joining Atlético, Lookman scored 55 goals for Atalanta in all competitions, marking one of the most prolific scoring periods of his professional journey.
- Atlético Madrid currently sit among the top three in La Liga, and Lookman’s arrival is viewed as a key reinforcement ahead of their Champions League knockout ties.
