Atletico Madrid have completed the signing of Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman from Atalanta in a £30.3m deal, with the player agreeing a contract until June 2030.
The 28-year-old London-born forward becomes the first English-born player to feature in the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A, and La Liga, joining an elite group of just 21 players worldwide. Lookman scored 55 goals and registered 27 assists in Serie A since 2022, including a hat-trick in the 2024 Europa League final, which secured Atalanta’s first European trophy.
Lookman, who won the African Footballer of the Year award in 2024 and appeared on the Ballon d’Or shortlist, represented England at youth level but debuted for Nigeria in 2022. His career began at Charlton Athletic in 2015 before moves to Everton, RB Leipzig, Fulham, and Leicester City.
Atletico also signed 20-year-old Mexican midfielder Obed Vargas from Seattle Sounders on a deal until 2030. Vargas, who debuted in MLS at just 15, has won the Concacaf Champions League and Leagues Cup, and faced Atletico in last summer’s FIFA Club World Cup.
The club, currently third in La Liga, aims to strengthen its squad for the title race and European competitions with these high-profile acquisitions.
