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- Lookman formally requests transfer
- Atalanta CEO says Lookman not honouring his side of deal
- Conflict stems from forward’s demand to join Inter
In an escalating transfer saga, Lookman’s future at Atalanta has reached a critical point.u0026nbsp;The 27-year-old striker has publicly demanded a transfer, accusing the club of reneging on a verbal agreement to let him leave. Lookman’s frustration is reportedly aimed at forcing a move to Inter, with whom he has already agreed to personal terms on a five-year contract. In response to the player’s public push, Atalanta’s CEO, Percassi, has directly addressed the matter, providing the club’s version of events and clarifying that the transfer promise Lookman is referring to was conditional and did not include a move to a rival Serie A club.
The dispute between Lookman and Atalanta has its roots in the previous transfer window. After an impressive season, the club received an offer of €20m (£17m/$23m) from Paris Saint-Germain, which the player’s camp wanted to accept. Atalanta, however, refused to sell and reportedly made a “gentleman’s agreement” with Lookman: if he stayed for another season, the club would permit a transfer this year under two key conditions. The first was that the destination had to be a “super-top European club,” and the second, was that he would not be sold to another Italian team.
Fast-forward to this summer and Lookman has a clear objective: a move to Inter. He has already rejected a lucrative offer from Napoli and turned down interest from top European clubs like Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. This singular focus on joining a Serie A rival has put him in direct violation of the conditions he reportedly agreed to.
When asked about Lookman’s situation, Percassi said in a press conference: “Last year, we promised ourselves that in Italy he would never be seen wearing a jersey other than Atalanta’s. Things have changed now, but we decide when and how.”
Setting the record straight about the two conditions, the CEO added: “Last year, faced with an offer of €20 million from PSG, the player asked us to sell him. Since Atalanta is a credible club made up of good people, they promised to be able to sell the player in this transfer window on two conditions , which he asked us: that he could join a super-top European club and that, in Italy, he would never play for any team other than Atalanta , given what this player has given and received to and from the club.
“I hope I have responded concisely to the premises that we had brought to this commitment. Today’s situation, which you know, is very different, and I reiterate the fact that the club is always careful to evaluate the timing and value of its players’ exits. And it is always the Atalanta club that ultimately decides.”
By submitting a transfer request and making public statements, Lookman has pushed the situation to a “point of no return” with the club. His relationship with Atalanta management is now severely strained and he has been left out of pre-season squads as the conflict intensifies. The player’s actions have also led to fan backlash, with Atalanta ultras displaying protest banners at the training ground. For a deal to happen, either Inter will have to meet Atalanta’s firm €50m (£43m/$58m) asking price or Lookman will need to attract a club to meet the original conditions.
Additional reporting Michael Baldoin.
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