Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman has officially completed a transfer from Atalanta to Atletico Madrid, with the Spanish giants confirming the deal on Monday, just hours before the European winter transfer window shut.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reports that Atletico agreed to pay a fixed fee of €35 million, with a further €5 million in performance-related add-ons, for the 29-year-old winger.
The move places Lookman among Nigeria’s most expensive football exports, ranking second behind Victor Osimhen, whose transfers involving Napoli and Galatasaray exceeded €70 million.
Lookman has signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with the Rojiblancos, keeping him at the Wanda Metropolitano until June 2030.
The Super Eagles forward arrived in Madrid on Sunday to complete his medical, ending weeks of speculation over his future. Prior to the Atletico deal, he had also been linked with a possible move to Turkish side Fenerbahce.
The transfer brings closure to a tense period between Lookman and Atalanta. Despite playing a key role in the club’s historic Europa League triumph — scoring a memorable hat-trick in the final — relations between player and club had deteriorated in recent months.
In August 2025, Lookman removed all Atalanta-related content from his Instagram account, a move widely interpreted as an attempt to force an exit.
The Bergamo-based club later turned down a bid of €42 million plus €3 million in add-ons from Inter Milan, insisting the winger was valued at €60 million, even though reports suggested Lookman had already agreed personal terms with the Nerazzurri.
As the transfer saga dragged on, Lookman reportedly refused to return for pre-season or train with the squad, only resuming activities in mid-September. His switch to Atletico Madrid now marks a fresh chapter after a turbulent end to his time in Italy.
