A few minutes before the winter transfer window for the 2025–26 season closed across Europe’s major leagues on February 2, Spanish giants Atlético Madrid managed to secure the signing of Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman. Fenerbahçe seemed the likeliest destination for the London-born Nigerian international, after the Turkish Süper Lig side matched Atalanta’s €40 million asking price and tabled an improved salary offer for the player, but Lookman ultimately held out for a career-defining move to Spain.

Lookman needed to leave Atalanta. He had already been on his way out last summer window, amid reported interest from Inter Milan and Atlético, but the club’s hierarchy didn’t compromise on their asking price, despite the player’s request and farewell posts on his media platforms. Several narratives emerged around his sour relationship with the club, coaching structures changed, but the 2024 CAF Player of the Year maintained professionalism when it mattered the most and now leaves with his head held high. The move to Turkey, had it materialised, would have likely stunted his relevance for the next couple of years at least, but choosing the Wanda Metropolitano instead ensures his career remains on an upward trajectory, provided he applies himself to the demands of the level.

Born in London to Nigerian parents, Lookman has had his fair share of being a journeyman. He started in England with Charlton Athletic before Everton, moved to Germany with RB Leipzig, returned to England to Fulham, then Leicester City, before heading to Italy with Atalanta and now Spain with Atlético Madrid. Of all these stops, it was in Italy that he first identified with the world’s elite.

There is enough evidence, even beyond his numbers for Atalanta, to suggest that Lookman was one of the league’s standout players during his time in Bergamo. During his three and a half years at the club, the Nigerian international won Atalanta’s Player of the Season award in consecutive seasons, became the first player to score a hat-trick in a one-leg Europa League final, and in doing so, delivered the club’s first trophy in 61 years. Much can still be said about his impact in Serie A, but more equally important is how his time in Bergamo influenced his career with the Super Eagles. The forward led Nigeria to the AFCON 2023 final and the 2025 bronze medal, won the 2024 CAF Player of the Year award, and made the Team of the Tournament at both competitions. His career-high run in 2024 also earned him a 14th-place finish in the 2024 Ballon d’Or rankings, the only African to crack the list that year.

Central to this rise was the enabling environment in Bergamo and the stability provided by his then manager, Gian Piero Gasperini, the longest-serving coach in Serie A at the time. “The Mister is very big on playing forward and creating many opportunities to score goals. For me, he has made my football much simpler in how I think about it,” Lookman told The Athletic in May 2025.

According to reports, a decisive phone call between the forward and Atlético’s Diego Simeone was instrumental in his decision. During his first media round, the player himself acknowledged he “had a good conversation with Diego Simeone before arriving.” Atlético Madrid represents the highest level of Lookman’s club career and the biggest stage any Nigerian international currently stands on. Though perpetually cast in the shadow of Real Madrid and Barcelona domestically, and lacking comparable recent European success, Atlético’s pedigree is beyond dispute, and Lookman now finds himself a key figure.

The move is also particularly significant because the club needs him now more than ever. Beyond being long-term admirers since it became clear last summer that he wanted to leave Atalanta, Simeone’s side currently sit 10 points off the La Liga summit due largely to their inability to win matches. For context, Atlético have lost just three games after 22 matches, the same as league leaders Barcelona. The difference lies in their six draws, which more than anything, highlight their lack of attacking potency. They have scored 38 goals, the lowest tally among the top four, having conceded just 17, the best defensive record in the league.

Their dependable forwards, Alexander Sorloth and Julian Alvarez, have just 14 league goals between them, with the latter absent from the league’s scorer sheet since the start of November. Club legend and record goalscorer Antoine Griezmann, 35, has managed just five starts this season, due to injuries and declining output. 

Simeone desperately needs another forward to inject life into his attack, hence his interest in Lookman. It is easy to see why: the Nigerian international has grown into a flexible attacker who can operate from both flanks, drift inside, create chances and score goals off either foot. He offers the intelligence and movement atypical of a traditional winger, is comfortable receiving between the lines, and has a knack for ghosting into central areas for first-time finishes. Add his availability to that skill set, and the appeal becomes even clearer. As the cliché goes, the best ability is availability.

If emerging reports are anything to go by, Lookman’s early days in Madrid have been positive, with Matteo Ruggeri and Juan Musso, both former Atalanta teammates, helping him settle in quickly. There is no telling how far this early momentum will carry him, but more than at any previous stage of his career, the expectations are now at their highest, and the Nigerian will be tested like he’s never been.