Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman has been included in Atalanta’s UEFA Champions League squad for the group stage despite his push to leave the club during the summer transfer window.
The Super Eagles forward had been at the centre of one of the window’s longest-running sagas, with Internazionale, Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Tottenham, and Atlético Madrid all linked to his signature.
Inter actually tabled a €45m bid, but Atalanta rejected the offer, leaving Lookman stuck in Bergamo as the window closed.
Lookman’s transfer debacle and Super Eagles absence
His inclusion in the Champions League squad signals Atalanta’s willingness to reintegrate him into the fold, even though the 27-year-old has made it clear he wants a bigger stage.
For now, his short-term future lies with Ivan Jurić’s side, whether he likes it or not.
The reigning CAF Men’s Player of the Year will now have to wait until January for another chance to secure a move, with Turkey’s Süper Lig and the Saudi Pro League the only immediate alternatives outside Europe’s top five leagues at the moment.
Since last season, reports of tension with the club hierarchy have lingered, and his desire to move on was never a secret. However, none of the interested clubs managed to close a deal before the window shut on Monday night.
To compound matters, Lookman is yet to report to the Super Eagles’ camp ahead of Nigeria’s September World Cup qualifiers. His first outing of the season could come in national colours, but his absence so far only adds to the uncertainty surrounding his future.
