By Martin Graham
Atletico Madrid have completed the acquisition of Nigeria attacker Ademola Lookman from Atalanta in a transfer valued at £30.3m, confirming his contract will run until June 2030.
The 28-year-old becomes the first English-born footballer to appear in the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A, and La Liga. Overall, only 21 players have competed in those four competitions, while Christian Poulsen, Justin Kluivert, and Stevan Jovetic remain the only figures to have featured in all five major European leagues, including Ligue 1.
Since arriving in Italy in 2022 from RB Leipzig, the London-born forward has delivered 55 goals and 27 assists in Serie A. His standout moment came in 2024, when he scored three times in the Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen to earn Atalanta their first continental honour.
That same year, Lookman was crowned African Footballer of the Year and stood as the sole African representative on the men’s Ballon d’Or shortlist, finishing 14th. Although he lifted the Under-20 World Cup with England in 2017, he switched international allegiance and first appeared for Nigeria in 2022.
Career path and Atletico’s league position
Lookman’s professional rise began at Charlton Athletic, where he debuted in 2015, before a move to Everton two seasons later that included a goal on his Premier League introduction.
A productive loan spell preceded a permanent transfer to RB Leipzig in July 2019, after which he spent full campaigns on temporary deals with Fulham and Leicester City.
Atletico, currently third in Spain’s top division and ten points behind leaders Barcelona, announced the agreement with Atalanta on Monday and finalised the paperwork on transfer deadline day.
Vargas added from Major League Soccer
Alongside Lookman’s arrival, Atletico Madrid also confirmed the signing of midfielder Obed Vargas from the Seattle Sounders.
The Mexico international, born in Anchorage, Alaska, has committed to the Spanish side until 30 June 2030 after progressing through the MLS club’s ranks since joining in 2019.
Vargas made his league debut on 22 July 2021 at the age of 15 years and 351 days, making him the third youngest player in MLS history at the time. His honours with the Sounders include the 2021–22 Concacaf Champions League and the 2025 Leagues Cup, and he previously faced Atletico during last summer’s FIFA Club World Cup.
