Nigeria international Ademola Lookman has formally completed a high-profile move to La Liga powerhouses Atletico Madrid, ending a prolific four-and-a-half-year chapter with Atalanta. The Spanish club officially announced the permanent transfer on Monday after securing the 28-year-old’s signature in a deal valued at approximately €40 million, including performance-based bonuses. Lookman moves to the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on a long-term contract effective until June 2030, following a competitive pursuit where the Colchoneros successfully outmaneuvered Turkish giants Fenerbahce for the versatile forward.
The transfer marks a historic milestone for the London-born attacker, who becomes the first English-born footballer to feature in each of the “Big Five” European leagues following stints in the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A, and now La Liga. Lookman arrived in the Spanish capital on Sunday for medical examinations before finalizing personal terms with club CEO Miguel Ángel Gil. Manager Diego Simeone reportedly prioritized the acquisition of the 2024 African Footballer of the Year to inject pace and tactical flexibility into a frontline currently striving to regain its clinical edge in domestic competition.
During his tenure in Bergamo, Lookman cemented his status as an elite European attacker, netting 55 goals and recording 27 assists across 137 appearances for the Nerazzurri. His career reached a pinnacle in May 2024, when he scored a historic hat-trick in the UEFA Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen to deliver Atalanta’s first-ever continental trophy. Now transitioning to a fourth major league, Lookman views the opportunity to adapt to Spanish football as the next essential step in his professional evolution.
Lookman shared his enthusiasm for the new project in an official interview with the club’s digital media: “It’s special to be here, it’s an amazing club. It’s a blessing to be here, like I said, I’m happy to be here. I have played in three of the top leagues before. I’m coming to another top league, to a big country also. A new language as well, is a new challenge for me, but I’m excited about it and looking forward to it.”
