Atlético Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has spoken glowingly about the club’s capture of Super Eagles winger Ademola Lookman, describing the move as the fulfilment of a long-held ambition for the Nigerian star.
Lookman sealed a permanent switch to the Spanish giants on Monday, bringing an end to his productive stint with Serie A side Atalanta. His arrival at the Metropolitano Stadium comes after interest from several European clubs, including Turkish heavyweights Fenerbahce.
During his three-and-a-half seasons in Italy, the 28-year-old established himself as one of Atalanta’s most decisive attackers. He recorded 55 goals and 27 assists in 137 appearances across all competitions and etched his name into the club’s history by scoring a hat-trick in the 2024 Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen.
Cerezo revealed that Lookman had long harboured ambitions of playing for Atlético Madrid and credited the club’s ability to meet financial demands as key to completing the deal.
“He is a player desired by top clubs, and thanks to the difference in financial terms, he has been able to join us. This has been his dream for many years,” Cerezo told eldesmarque.com.
With his pace, direct style and big-game pedigree, Lookman is expected to slot quickly into Diego Simeone’s plans as Atlético push for domestic and European success this season.
