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By Oscar Okhifo
Atalanta FC CEO, Antonio Percassi has made it clear that Nigerian international Ademola Lookman will only be allowed to leave the Serie A club for a “super top club” outside Italy, amid growing tensions between the player and the club’s management.
Speaking via a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday and relayed by renowned football journalist, Fabrizio Romano, Percassi explained that a prior agreement with Lookman ruled out a transfer to any Italian team, including Inter Milan, who recently submitted a substantial offer for the 2025 Europa League final hero.
“We made a pact with Lookman last year, after turning down a €20 million offer from Paris Saint-Germain. The agreement was that if he were to leave, it would only be to a top European club abroad, not to any Serie A team,” Percassi stated.
The clarification comes in the wake of Lookman’s dramatic transfer request earlier this week.
The 26-year-old forward accused Atalanta of breaking promises and treating him poorly, both professionally and personally.
In a strongly worded public statement, Lookman wrote:
“Enough is enough. After many months of broken promises, I have formally requested a transfer from Atalanta. I’ve always acted professionally, delivered on the pitch, and stayed loyal. But I’ve received poor treatment as a human being.”
The explosive revelation followed Atalanta’s rejection of an improved offer from Inter Milan, reportedly in the region of €45–50 million.
Despite the club’s firm stance, Lookman is believed to be eager for a new challenge after a highly successful spell in Bergamo, where he scored a hat-trick in the Europa League final and was crowned CAF Player of the Year.
Percassi, however, insisted that Atalanta, (not the player)will decide the terms of any potential departure.
“We are not against selling him, but it must be under the conditions we agreed on. Lookman has value, and any exit must reflect that. We don’t respond to pressure,” the CEO added.
With Inter effectively ruled out, Lookman’s future now hinges on interest from elite clubs outside Italy. Several top sides in England and Spain are reportedly monitoring the situation, though no formal bids have been confirmed.
Lookman joined Atalanta from RB Leipzig in 2022. Since then, he has scored 52 goals in 117 appearances for the Italian side, establishing himself as one of the most impactful forwards in Serie A.
The standoff between player and club adds a dramatic twist to what is fast becoming one of Serie A’s most talked-about transfer sagas this summer.