Atalanta confirm Ademola Lookman wants to summer transfer as Inter submit take it or leave it offer for Nigeria star

Inter had submitted a bid worth €45 million (£39m/$51m) for Lookman, falling short of the €50m (£42m/$54m) Atalanta had demanded. According to Gianluca Di Marzio, Inter will not be raising the bid if Atalanta refuse it, causing concerns that the attacker could miss out on his preferred transfer. The Nigerian's entourage has been working behind the scenes to convince Atalanta to let him go and the latest developments, according to Corriere della Sera, suggest Atalanta may be willing to settle for €48m (£38m/$55m).

Lookman joined Atalanta from RB Leipzig in 2022 and was a vital cog in Gian Piero Gasperini's Europa League-winning side in 2024. However, as the summer window arrived, numerous clubs started to show interest and he made clear that he wants to leave, as chief executive Luca Percassi confirmed on Wednesday.

Percassi said: "Lookman has been expressing his desire to leave for some time. It's no secret. In all our discussions, he was a player who should have left this summer, following our club's philosophy of one sale per year. But the transfer market always brings unexpected things, you know well what happened with Mateo Retegui. For Lookman, despite so much interest, there had never been anything concrete until yesterday when the first official proposal arrived. Inter is a very friendly company, I saw [president Beppe] Marotta yesterday. We have a great friendship and professional relationship. In these days, we will evaluate with great serenity the offer we have received, and then give an answer. I can only say that the timing and exit values of the Atalanta players are decided only by the club."

Lookman has dual citizenship of Nigeria and England, and has won the U-20 World Cup with the Three Lions back in 2017. In 2024, he was the recipient of the African Footballer of the Year award.

Lookman will have to wait to return to the pitch, as this saga between the two Serie A heavyweights continues.