Atletico Madrid have completed the signing of Nigeria forward Ademola Lookman from Atalanta in a deal worth £30.3 million, the Spanish club has confirmed.

 

The 28-year-old has signed a long-term contract that will keep him at the Wanda Metropolitano until June 2030, with the transfer finalised on deadline day after Atletico reached an agreement with Atalanta on Monday.

 

Lookman’s move to Spain sees him make history as the first English-born player to feature in the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A and La Liga. Only 21 players have played across those four major European leagues, while just three—Christian Poulsen, Justin Kluivert and Stevan Jovetic—have appeared in all of Europe’s “big five” leagues, which also include France’s Ligue 1.

 

The London-born forward has been outstanding in Serie A since joining Atalanta in 2022 from RB Leipzig. During his time in Italy, Lookman scored 55 goals and provided 27 assists, establishing himself as one of the most feared attackers in European football.

 

His most iconic moment came in 2024 when he scored a sensational hat-trick in the Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen, sealing Atalanta’s first-ever European trophy. That same year, Lookman was crowned African Footballer of the Year and was the only African named on the men’s Ballon d’Or shortlist, finishing 14th.

 

Although he represented England at youth level and was part of the squad that won the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in 2017, Lookman switched international allegiance to Nigeria and made his Super Eagles debut in 2022.

 

Atletico Madrid, currently third in La Liga and ten points behind leaders Barcelona, will hope Lookman’s pace, versatility and goal-scoring ability can boost their title challenge and European ambitions.

 

Lookman began his professional career at Charlton Athletic, making his senior debut in 2015 before earning a move to Everton two years later, where he scored on his Premier League debut. After a successful loan spell, he joined RB Leipzig permanently in July 2019, later spending time on loan at Fulham and Leicester City before reviving his career in Italy.

 

Once labelled a “failure” during his early struggles in Europe, Ademola Lookman’s journey has been one of resilience and reinvention—culminating in his rise to the summit of African football and now a new chapter in La Liga with Atletico Madrid.