Background: Lookman’s Journey
Ademola Lookman, the former Everton winger, is attracting interest from Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea, according to reports from Italy. Lookman struggled during his first Premier League stint with Everton, scoring just four goals in 48 appearances. After a loan to RB Leipzig, the German club made his move permanent in July 2019. Subsequent loan spells at Fulham and Leicester City followed before he found success at Serie A side Atalanta.
Lookman’s Revival at Atalanta
Over the past few seasons, Lookman has been exceptional for Atalanta, netting 32 goals in 77 appearances. The English-born 26-year-old shone brightly in the Europa League final in May, scoring a stunning hat-trick to lead Atalanta to a 3-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen, securing their first-ever European trophy.
Interest from Premier League Clubs
Lookman’s stellar performances have caught the eye of Premier League giants once again. Italian website Calciomercato reports that Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea are all interested and willing to make an offer close to €60m (£51m). Despite the interest, Atalanta is determined to retain Lookman, especially if they sell Teun Koopmeiners, who is currently recovering from an injury.
Reactions and Praise
After his Europa League final heroics, Lookman expressed his delight, saying, “One of the best nights of my life. Amazing performance from the team. We did it, we did it, we did it! I’ve not got many words to say but, yeah, fantastic.”
Former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch praised Lookman’s resilience and inspiration to other players. “Honestly, it’s probably an inspiration to many players who maybe lose their way at times,” Crouch said. “He’s had to go abroad, faced difficulties, but he’s found a manager at Atalanta who gets the best out of him. It’s a credit to him to bounce back and make a significant impact in the Europa League final. It’s an incredible story.”