Ademola Lookman Becomes Second-Most Expensive Nigerian Player After joining Atletico Madrid

Ademola Lookman has officially completed his transfer from Atalanta to Atletico Madrid, with the Spanish club confirming the signing on Monday, just hours before the close of the 2026 European winter transfer window.

According to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, Atletico Madrid paid a €35 million fixed fee plus €5 million in add-ons for the 28-year-old winger. The deal makes Lookman the second-most expensive Nigerian footballer, behind only Victor Osimhen, whose transfers to Napoli and Galatasaray both exceeded €70 million.

Lookman has signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with the Rojiblancos, keeping him at Wanda Metropolitano until June 2030.

The forward arrived in Madrid on Sunday for his medicals, having previously been linked with a move to Turkish side Fenerbahce.

In recent months, Lookman’s relationship with Atalanta had become strained. The Super Eagles star played a pivotal role in Atalanta’s Europa League triumph, scoring a hat-trick in the final, but tensions rose off the field.

In August 2025, Lookman removed all Atalanta-related posts from his Instagram account in an effort to push through a transfer. Atalanta had earlier rejected a €42 million plus €3 million add-ons offer from Inter Milan, insisting on a €60 million fee, despite reported personal terms being agreed between Lookman and the Nerazzurri.

The winger also refused to participate in pre-season training and only rejoined the squad in mid-September.