Premier League trio Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea are battling for the signature of Atalanta winger Ademola Lookman.
Ademola Lookman, 26, has been somewhat of a nomad early in his career, with spells at Everton, RB Leipzig, Fulham and Leicester City before finding a stable footing at Atalanta. Gian Piero Gasperini, the Atalanta boss, has done a great job in helping the ex-England youth international get his career back on track. He proved to be a valuable asset for La Dea last season, supplying 15 goals and eight assists in 45 appearances.
The 26-year-old winger was his side’s hero in the Europa League final at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin in May, where he netted a hat-trick in the 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen. By doing so, he ended Bayer Leverkusen’s 51- game unbeaten run and became the first ever-player to score a hat-trick in the Europa League final.
Lookman’s performances for the Bergamo-based outfit have reportedly caught the attention of Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea. A move to the Premier League this summer is a possibility, with Atalanta valuing the Nigeria international around €60 million.
Ademola Lookman is a man in-demand
Ademola Lookman’s progress in Italy haven’t gone under the radar. There is significant interest from the Premier League.
Liverpool’s interest in the player is understandable. The uncertain futures of Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz amid interest from Saudi Arabia and Barcelona, respectively, has left new manager Arne Slot in a spot of bother. Lookman, therefore, is a viable target for the Merseyside club.
Losing Crystal Palace star Michael Olise to Bayern Munich has brought Chelsea into the mix for Lookman’s signature. With wide players such as Raheem Sterling, Noni Madueke and Mykhaylo Mudryk not hitting the expected heights last season, the Blues want to bring the Atalanta star back to the Premier League ahead of 2024/25 season.
Meanwhile, Manchester United remain signing an upgrade an Antony after the diminutive Brazilian’s lacklustre performances over the last two years. In addition, Marcus Rashford continues to be linked with a move away to Paris Saint-Germain despite signing a new contract last September, and if new co-owners INEOS decide to sell him, Lookman could be viewed as the England international’s replacement.
It will be interesting to see who wins the race for Lookman’s signature. After failing to cut the mustard in the Premier League in the last three attempts, he will be desperate to prove his detractors wrong this time around if he returns to England.
I am Rohan Sengupta from one of the busiest cities in India, Mumbai. A Journalism graduate with a keen interest in sports, football is something I simply cannot live without and writing, discussing and analyzing the game is what I do 24*7.