Atalanta faced accusations from Ademola Lookman of poor human treatment after his transfer request, as revealed in a statement he communicated.
In the ongoing transfer saga, Ademola Lookman finds himself at the centre of a high-profile dispute with his current club, Atalanta, after submitting a formal transfer request. The 27-year-old English forward alleges that Atalanta had previously agreed to negotiate his departure this summer, but the Italian club has rejected multiple offers from Inter Milan, prompting his frustration and accusations of "poor treatment."
Lookman, a former England under-21 international, spent the last three seasons with Atalanta, contributing significantly to their successes, including a pivotal role in their 2023/24 UEFA Europa League victory. He has expressed deep personal disappointment over the stalled transfer, emphasising his loyalty and key contributions to the club.
The conflict hinges on Atalanta’s refusal to honour what Lookman perceives as a prior promise to allow his transfer, despite strong financial offers from Inter Milan. The Serie A club has yet to comment on the matter publicly.
Inter Milan, who are reportedly fully committed to securing Lookman's signing, are not considering alternative targets at this time. Other potential suitors, such as Christopher Nkunku and Jadon Sancho, have surfaced, but Inter reportedly have no immediate Plan B and are focused exclusively on Lookman.
Lookman, who joined Atalanta from Leipzig, has given everything to the club, both as a footballer and as a person. He considers the support from Atalanta fans as special and expresses love and gratitude towards them. Despite the current impasse, he hopes to find an amicable solution for all parties regarding his transfer to Inter Milan.
Lookman's transfer request is due to a disagreement with the club over a move to an unspecified club, believed to be Arsenal, although they had reportedly looked at other targets earlier in the summer. The forward, who has also played for Charlton, Everton, Fulham, and Leicester before joining Atalanta, scored a hat-trick in the 2024 Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen, a moment he considers one of the proudest in his career.
Lookman feels he has been treated poorly by Atalanta, both as a human being and as a professional footballer. He has always tried to repay the love shown to him by Atalanta and its supporters, even in difficult times. As the transfer window draws to a close, the future of Ademola Lookman remains uncertain, with both parties seemingly at an impasse.
Despite his significant contributions to Atalanta's football success, including their UEFA Europa League victory in the 2023/24 season, Ademola Lookman's future with the club is uncertain due to a disagreement over sports-betting – his transfer to another club, rumored to be Arsenal. Lookman, expressing deep personal disappointment, hopes to find an amicable solution for all parties, acknowledging his loyalty and love for both the club and its fans.