Ademola Lookman has publicly criticized his club, Atalanta, for preventing him from leaving the team, despite what he claims were clear agreements and months of discussions. The Nigerian forward, who played a crucial role in Atalanta’s Europa League win last season, expressed deep frustration over the club’s refusal to accept an offer he describes as fair and in line with previous understandings.
On Saturday, Lookman released a detailed statement confirming that he has now formally requested a transfer. He said his decision follows repeated broken promises and what he considers poor treatment by the club.
According to Lookman, he has always given his all since joining Atalanta, both on and off the pitch. He said his connection with the club and its fans runs deep and described the Europa League victory in Dublin as one of the most memorable nights of his career.
He stated that although he had remained loyal through previous transfer interests, this summer marked a mutual agreement with the club that a move would be allowed if a fair offer came in. However, despite receiving such an offer, Lookman claims the club is now blocking his exit for reasons that remain unclear to him.
Describing the situation as extremely difficult, the forward said he had hoped to resolve it privately but felt compelled to speak out after what he called months of poor treatment and lack of honesty.
He ended his message with an emotional note to Atalanta supporters, thanking them for their continued support and expressing regret that the situation has come to this. He emphasized that his request is not driven by disrespect but a need to stand up for what he believes is fair.
