Tag: Ademola Lookman

Napoli have made a bold start to the summer transfer window with the high-profile capture of Kevin De Bruyne and the promising Luca Marianucci — and now the Serie A champions have set their sights on Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman, Soccernet.ng reports.

The Atalanta winger is seen as an ideal replacement for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who joined Paris Saint-Germain in January.

According to CNA, Napoli are preparing a €50 million offer for Lookman, though Atalanta are holding out for €60 million.

The 27-year-old forward, crowned African Footballer of the Year in 2024, is also attracting interest from Premier League clubs and La Liga sides, but Conte’s tactical vision and the prospect of linking up with Romelu Lukaku in attack could sway the decision.

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Napoli’s ability to fund a move for Lookman could hinge on the future of Victor Osimhen.

The Super Eagles striker, who spent last season on loan at Galatasaray, is expected to leave the club permanently this summer. Juventus have been linked with Osimhen as a potential replacement should Dusan Vlahovic depart, while Saudi club Al-Hilal have reportedly offered €75 million — an offer rejected by the player, who prefers a move to England.

For Lookman, the decision could come down to whether he wants to remain in Italy or pursue a return to English football.

The former Charlton, Everton, Fulham, and Leicester City star enjoyed a standout season at Atalanta and appears poised for a major move — but whether that next chapter lies in Naples or across the Channel remains to be seen.

 Amid  on-going  summer transfer whirlwinds, Legendary Italian  coach  Fabio Capello  has   tipped Brighton’s  midfielder  Matt O’Riley as capable replacement  should  Nigeria International  striker , Ademola Lookman,  decides  to leave  Serie A side, Atalanta.

The current African Footballer  of the Year has been a subject  of  a potential  move away from Atalanta  before the end of the last campaign  where  the La Dea  failed to reach  the same height as they did the previous season  when he helped them  to win the  UEFA Europa League trophy with a stunning hat trick against Bayer Leverkusen.

Aside being liked to  Serie a rivals, Napoli , Lookman  has also being linked to a host of English Premier League sides including Liverpool  and Manchester United.

Should  the inevitable happens  with  Lookman’s departure from Atalanta this summer, Capello, one of the most successful Italian coaches, has  reportedly  picked  Danish International,  O’Riley   as a ‘reliable alternative’ ahead of  Dutch International   Marten de Roon at Atalanta.

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 “The real challenge [for Atalanta] will be keeping top players like Ederson and Lookman,” Capello reportedly wrote  in his column on Gazzetta dello Sport  as per Football Italia. “If Atalanta’s management can resist transfer market pressure, then I don’t think the team needs significant changes.”

Lookman had an impressive showing   for Atalanta last season as he registered  20 goals and 7 assists from 40 appearances across all competitions to enjoy the confidence of new coach, Ivan Juric .

“The idea would be to keep both Lookman and Ederson, even if the club has clear ideas on the market and I have not made any request on players, not even on those I have had,” said Juric, who previously coached Southampton in the EPL.

The 27-year-old has one-year left on his contract with La Dea but  it  remains to be seen if he will be offered a new contract.

Ademola Lookman revealed that it was a good feeling that Atalanta  booked their fifth successive season in the UEFA Champions League after their 2-1 home win over AS Roma on Monday.

Atalanta qualified for the Champions League after a crucial 2-1 victory over AS Roma, a match in which Lookman found the back of the net for his 20^th  goal of the season from 38 games in all competitions.

Speaking after the game, the Nigeria international  emphasized the importance of the win and their goal of securing a top-four finish.

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 “It’s a great feeling. We knew how important this game was for our Champions League qualification hopes,” Lookman told DAZN. “We delivered a performance that reflected that.”

“I always try to be available and give my best whenever I’m on the pitch. The team showed our strength tonight. There are still two games to go, and we want to finish the season with as many points as possible.”

The Super Eagles forward will be one of the main transfer attractions when top European clubs whip out their purses for purchases in the summer, Soccernet.ng reports.

Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman is poised for a high-profile summer transfer, with Spanish giants Atlético Madrid among the clubs vying for his signature.

Despite having a contract with Atalanta that runs until June 2027, the Nigerian international is expected to depart Bergamo at the end of the season.

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The Serie A club are reportedly willing to sell the 27-year-old if their €60 million (£51.5m) valuation is met, with several European powerhouses monitoring the situation.

According to Spanish outlet Marca via Les-transferts, Atlético Madrid have already opened discussions with Lookman’s representatives.

While Diego Simeone’s side reportedly believes Atalanta’s asking price is steep, they are seriously considering a move after being impressed by Lookman’s prolific campaign.

Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman has been linked with a move away from the Italian club at the end of the season, and multiple Premier League clubs are keeping tabs on his situation.

The Nigerian attacker has become one of the most talked-about names heading into the transfer window. The 27-year-old has attracted attention from several clubs with his outstanding performances both in Serie A and on the international stage.

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Sources have informed CaughtOffside that Barcelona have contacted the player’s representatives to evaluate a potential move for Lookman. However, the ongoing financial difficulties of the Catalan giants may pose a serious obstacle.

Juventus, one of the clubs that first expressed interest in Lookman, continues to prioritise a move for the player. However, the asking price of €60–65 million seems challenging for the Torino-based side.

The interest of clubs such as Chelsea, Manchester United, Liverpool, Newcastle United, and Arsenal in the player could see Lookman return to England as well. The Premier League clubs are planning to hold talks with the Nigerian soon.

Juventus will now step up their chase for Ademola Lookman after his fellow Super Eagles star, Victor Osimhen, turned them down.

According to Tuttosport, Juventus would have had to break the bank to sign Osimhen from Napoli in the summer as the 75 Million Euros release clause does not apply to Italian clubs.

Osimhen’s representatives recently rejected Juventus.

Read Also: UPDATED: Ademola Lookman wins 2024 African Footballer of the Year Award

Ademola Lookman, 27, is also on the transfer window as he will quit Atalanta this summer.

Similarly, two-time UEFA Champions League winners Nottingham Forest have joined a host of top clubs in pursuit of Lookman.

The 2024 CAF Player of the Year Award winner has maintained his goal-scoring form for La Dea this season. With 18 goals and six assists in all competitions, the 27-year-old is in his second-best season in terms of attacking output, which is a decent number considering the number of injuries he’s dealt with this season.

His price tag is put at around 60 Million Euros.