Nigeria international Ademola Lookman has officially bid farewell to his former club Atalanta as he completes his Atletico Madrid transfer, joining the Spanish La Liga giants.
Following speculation regarding his future, the Super Eagles star will now don the number 22 shirt with the Madrid-based outfit.
Lookman arrived at the Spanish side on Tuesday and wished all the best to his former club, saying scoring three goals in a UEFA Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen is one of his best moments.
The 28-year-old firmly etched his name into Atalanta’s history books after scoring a memorable hat-trick in Dublin. That victory saw the Italian side lift the European trophy and end a 61-year wait for continental silverware.
His performance in the final remains one of the club’s defining moments in modern European football.
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Media reports confirm that the transfer was sealed on Sunday. Lookman reportedly signed a contract worth close to €40 million.
The deal also makes him one of Atletico Madrid’s major signings, with the forward committed to the club until 2030.
Lookman spent nearly four years in Bergamo before completing the move. Shortly after the announcement, he reflected on his journey in an emotional Instagram post.
“To the Atalanta family, after almost four years, the time has come to say goodbye,” he wrote. “From the moment I arrived in Bergamo, you welcomed me as one of you and pushed me to give my best.”
“Together we wrote history. European champions. A night none of us will ever forget. Scoring a hat-trick in a European final and lifting a trophy with this club will stay with me forever.”
“Those moments, those emotions, those nights in the spotlight are engraved in my heart.”
Looking at his achievements in continental football, the goal poacher walked away with the CAF African Player of the Year accolade in 2024 while on the books of the Italian Serie A side, Atalanta.
While he has represented Nigeria at a senior level, Lookman was born on 20 October 1997 in Wandsworth, London.
He launched his career at Waterloo FC, then joined Charlton Athletic, and made his senior debut in November 2015.
Among some of the clubs he represented are Everton, RB Leipzig, Fulham and Leicester City, before completing his switch to Atalanta in the summer of 2022.
