African football analyst Mamadou Gaye has publicly criticized Ademola Lookman’s recent transfer to Atlético Madrid, sparking a heated debate regarding the player’s career trajectory. Gaye questioned why the Nigerian international did not hold out for a move to global giants like Barcelona or Real Madrid. The pundit controversially labeled the winger as “not ambitious” for choosing Diego Simeone’s side over the traditional top two in Spanish football.
Lookman completed his high-profile switch to the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on transfer deadline day following a prolific three-and-a-half-year tenure with Atalanta. During his time in Italy, he registered an impressive 82 direct goal involvements, including 55 goals and 27 assists across 137 appearances. His new contract ties him to the Spanish capital through the conclusion of the 2029-30 campaign.
The 2024 African Footballer of the Year silenced some critics with an immediate impact during his debut on Thursday. Lookman recorded both a goal and an assist to spearhead a 5-0 demolition of Real Betis in the Copa del Rey. Despite this stellar start, Gaye maintains that a player of Lookman’s stature belongs at a club with a more consistent history of European silverware.
“Why didn’t he join Real Madrid and Barcelona, what is he doing with Atlético Madrid? What have they won? Have they won the Champions League? No, he’s not ambitious,” Mamadou Gaye said on SuperSport’s Soccer Africa. “When you join a club, it’s all about winning in Europe, not just finishing in the middle of the table every year. Real Madrid and Barcelona are the top two clubs; all the others are just filling in the spots, like Atlético Madrid. Atlético are in third place in the standings, that’s exactly where they should be. When you are Lookman, you value yourself. African Player of the Year two seasons ago, you go to the very top. Which big club is Atlético Madrid?”
Lookman’s rise from the Charlton Athletic Academy to continental stardom has made him a focal point for African football expectations. His upcoming league debut on Sunday carries historic weight beyond the current controversy. If he takes the field, the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup champion will become the first English-born footballer to compete in all four of Europe’s major top-flight divisions: the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A, and La Liga.
