Atalanta President Antonio Percassi has disclosed that Premier League giants Liverpool, Manchester United, and Arsenal have expressed interest in signing Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman.
Lookman has been a hot topic in recent transfer discussions, thanks to his stellar performances for Atalanta. The Nigerian international played a crucial role in La Dea’s journey to the UEFA Europa League final last season, notably scoring a remarkable hat-trick in their triumph over Bayer Leverkusen.
Despite heavy Premier League speculation about a potential move away from Bergamo last summer, no deal materialized.
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However, interest in the 27-year-old forward has not waned, and Atalanta face a challenging situation as his contract is set to expire at the end of next season.
The club has yet to secure Lookman on a new deal, raising concerns about the possibility of losing him on a free transfer if an extension is not agreed upon. Although a January departure appears unlikely, speculation is expected to intensify ahead of the summer transfer window.
Speaking on the matter, Percassi affirmed Atalanta’s desire to retain Lookman but acknowledged that the club may have no choice but to sell if he does not commit to a contract extension.
“We will do everything at the end of the season to keep Lookman, but he must stay with full commitment. After all, we have previously replaced key players like Zapata, Papu Gomez, and Muriel,” Percassi stated, as reported by Nico Schira.
With Liverpool, Arsenal, and Manchester United closely monitoring the situation, Atalanta could face significant offers for their prized forward. While Lookman is currently valued at €55 million on Transfermarkt, the Italian club might demand up to €80 million to sanction his departure.
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The Nigerian forward who has previously played in the premier league for Everton, Fulham and Leicester city has registered 14 goals, 7 assist in 27 games across the Serie A, UEFA Champions league and Coppa Italia for the Bergamo based team.