London [UK], February 4: Atletico Madrid have signed Nigeria international Ademola Lookman from Atalanta for a reported fee of around $41 million.
The 28-year-old former Everton and RB Leipzig forward, who has also had loan spells at Fulham and Leicester, has signed a four-year contract after passing his medical in Madrid.
Lookman wrote on X: "To the Atalanta family, after nearly four years, the time has come for me to say goodbye." "From the moment I arrived in Bergamo, you welcomed me like one of your own and pushed me to be the best version of myself. Together we made history." "European [Europa League] champions, a night none of us will ever forget." "Scoring a hat-trick in a European final and lifting a trophy with this club after a 61-year trophy drought will stay with me." "Winning the Africa Player of the Year Award in 2024 as an Atalanta player will forever stay with me." "Those moments, those emotions, those nights under the lights, they're engraved in my heart." Lookman, who has scored 11 goals in 41 appearances for Nigeria, started out at Charlton and signed for Everton for £10 million ($13.6 million) in 2017 before moving on to Leipzig - after an initial loan spell - for £22 million in 2019.
Further loan spells followed at Fulham and Leicester and in 2022 he joined Atalanta, for whom he scored a hat-trick in the 2024 Europa League final when they beat Bayer Leverkusen 3-0.
Atleti later announced the signings of Mexico midfielder Obed Vargas from the Seattle Sounders and Spain Under-21 international Rodrigo Mendoza from Elche.
Source: Qatar Tribune