Nottingham Forest are making a bold move to sign Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman from Italian side Atalanta.
The 27 year old is keen to leave after scoring 20 goals last season. He has already told Atalanta he wants a new challenge.
Inter Milan already agreed personal terms with him but have not met the Italian club’s asking price of about 45 million pounds. Arsenal are also in the hunt, seeing him as a cheaper option than Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze.
Forest already have two Nigeria internationals in their squad, Ola Aina and Taiwo Awoniyi, but want to add a third.
They see Lookman as a strong replacement for Anthony Elanga, who left for Newcastle earlier this summer. His speed, ability to play across the attack and direct style make him a strong fit for Nuno Espirito Santo’s plans.
A Tough Decision for Lookman
While Forest are serious about the deal, convincing Lookman to join could be difficult. Both Arsenal and Inter can offer Champions League football, something Forest cannot.
However, Atalanta may prefer to sell him to a Premier League side rather than a rival in Serie A. This gives Forest and Arsenal a chance to get ahead of Inter.
Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis has promised to be ambitious in the transfer market.
Recent moves, such as signing Dan Ndoye and extending Morgan Gibbs-White’s contract despite interest from Tottenham, show the club’s intent. Signing Lookman would be their boldest move yet.
Time Running Out
Lookman has not taken part in Atalanta’s preseason friendlies and has missed some individual training sessions. His exit seems certain; the real question is which club will meet Atalanta’s demands and give him the clearest path forward.
Inter are ready to make a new bid, but Atalanta’s stance against selling to a league rival could work in favour of an English club.
Lookman’s current market value is about 60 million euros, and with the summer transfer window closing soon, the race to sign him is heating up fast.
