Chelsea and Liverpool are allegedly prepared to offer as much as €75m (£63.2m) to sign Atalanta BC‘s Ademola Lookman in the summer transfer window.
The former Fulham winger has experienced a turbulent year with La Dea, memorably scoring a historic hat-trick in his side’s Europa League final win over Bayer Leverkusen last season.
Lookman has continued his rich vein of form this season with 18 goals and seven assists from 32 games in all tournaments, but he was recently involved in a public spat with head coach Gian Piero Gasperini.
After missing a penalty against Club Brugge in his side’s Champions League defeat, Lookman was told by Gasperini that he was the “worst penalty taker” that the Atalanta manager had ever seen his career.
Gasperini hanging Lookman out to dry led to scathing criticism of the Dea boss, whom the Nigeria international subsequently hit back at, although he remains a regular fixture in the Atalanta XI.
Liverpool, Chelsea readying lucrative bids for Lookman?
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However, Lookman will be out of contract in 2026 if Atalanta decide not to activate a one-year extension option, and his scarcely believable clash with Gasperini has fuelled speculation surrounding a summer exit.
A return to the Premier League will likely be Lookman’s first choice if he does end his stint with the Europa League champions, and according to Fichajes, both Liverpool and Chelsea are readying bids.
The report claims that the Reds and the Blues are both prepared to make £63.2m offers for the 27-year-old, who has decided to pursue a new challenge following the breakdown of his relationship with Gasperini.
Atalanta would likely not be in a position to turn down such an offer even if they did activate Lookman’s contract option, as he is almost certain not to sign a new long-term agreement.
The Nigeria international has amassed a total of 50 goals and 22 assists in 110 matches for La Dea, who are set to make a serious profit on the €9.4m (£7.9m) they paid RB Leipzig for Lookman in 2022.
Why are Chelsea, Liverpool pursuing Lookman?
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Capable of playing as a right winger, left winger, second striker and centre-forward, Lookman could fill a couple of voids for Liverpool, who are yet to agree a contract extension with Mohamed Salah.
The Egypt international will no doubt need to be replaced by a new face if he is to depart, and while Lookman may not be able to replicate Salah’s astonishing goal tally, he possesses enough of a threat to make a name for himself at Anfield.
With Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez all potentially seeking pastures new as well, Lookman could fill voids up front and on the left for Arne Slot, although Chelsea are likely to see at least one attacker leave.
Joao Felix – who is currently struggling on loan at AC Milan – will potentially be offered an escape route by a Premier League club, while Mykhaylo Mudryk is still serving a provisional doping ban.
The Blues are due to sign Jadon Sancho permanently from Manchester United, but there is a scenario where Chelsea could reject the chance to keep the England international.
