What a way to wrap up the January window! While many were looking towards the Premier League, the real “shaking” happened in Spain. I can confirm that Ademola Lookman has signed for Atlético Madrid on a permanent deal from Atalanta, worth a cool €35 million plus another €5 million in add-ons.
This move is historic, period. “Mola” becomes the first-ever Nigerian to represent the Atlético Madrid first team. For those of us in the diaspora, seeing one of our own link up with a world-class manager like Diego Simeone is the stuff of dreams. Imagine Lookman’s flair and pace combined with “Cholo” Simeone’s grit—it’s going to be a problem for defenders in La Liga!
The 28-year-old leaves Italy as a certified legend. Who can forget that legendary hat-trick in the Europa League final? He penned an emotional farewell to the Atalanta fans this morning, thanking them for “making Bergamo feel like home.” But let’s be real, after Atalanta blocked his move to Inter last summer, it was only a matter of time before he spread his wings.
He’s already passed his medical at the Vithas-Invictum centre and signed his contract until June 2030. With Atlético sitting third in the league and a Champions League clash against Club Brugge on the horizon, the stage is set for Lookman to show the world why he was our 2024 African Player of the Year. Madrid isn’t ready for this Naija energy!