Atlético Madrid have completed the signing of Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman from Italian club Atalanta, with the player penning a long-term contract that will keep him at the Spanish side until 30 June 2030.
The LaLiga club confirmed on Monday that an agreement had been reached with Atalanta for the transfer, reported to be worth £30.3m.
Lookman completed the move after passing a medical examination in Madrid and finalising personal terms at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano.
Born in Wandsworth, London, on 20 October 1997, Lookman is a Nigerian international who can operate on either wing or as a second striker.
He joins Atlético as they continue to compete in both domestic and European competitions.
The 28-year-old moved to Atalanta in 2022 and went on to make 137 appearances for the Serie A side, scoring 55 goals and registering 27 assists.
He played a key role in the club’s 2023–24 UEFA Europa League triumph, scoring a hat-trick in the final as Atalanta defeated Bayer Leverkusen to secure the first European title in the club’s history.
Lookman began his professional career at Charlton Athletic, making his senior debut in 2015.
He joined Everton in 2017 and later played for RB Leipzig in Germany.
He also had spells at Fulham and Leicester City before making the switch to Italy.
Internationally, Lookman represented England at youth level and was part of the squad that won the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in 2017.
He switched allegiance to Nigeria in 2022 and has since earned 41 caps, scoring 11 goals for the Super Eagles.
He was among Nigeria’s notable performers at the recent Africa Cup of Nations.
In 2024, Lookman was named African Footballer of the Year and was the only African player on the men’s Ballon d’Or shortlist, finishing 14th.
The move to Atlético Madrid makes Lookman one of a small group of players to have featured in the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A and LaLiga.
