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Ademola Lookman Returns to Atalanta after Inter Withdrawal

Fola Badmus1 month ago1 month ago03 mins

Ademola Lookman is now back in Bergamo and is preparing to train at Zingonia for the first time after learning that Inter have decided to withdraw from the race to sign him this summer. Reports on Monday evening confirmed that Inter have told Atalanta that they no longer wish to pursue a deal for Lookman, despite weeks and weeks of negotiations for the African Player of the Year. The Nerazzurri had seen an offer of €45m including bonuses for Lookman turned down this summer, and now it appears that they will not come back in with an improved bid. The initial rejection of Inter’s bid for Lookman caused the Nigeria international to hand in a formal transfer request and desert Atalanta training, instead returning to the UK to train individually. He also released a statement accusing his employers of breaking promises and treating him poorly as a ‘human being and professional footballer’. Dea CEO Luca Percassi later confirmed that there was an agreement in place that allowed Lookman to leave the club under the right conditions this summer, but only for ‘big’ teams that are located outside Serie A, which complicated a deal between Inter and Atalanta. Despite Lookman’s desire to force through a move to Inter this summer, he has now been forced to swallow a bitter pill and return to Atalanta with less than a week to go before the start of the 2025-26 Serie A season. Atalanta will get their league campaign underway with a visit from newly-promoted Pisa on Sunday evening, kicking off at 7.45pm.

Ademola Lookman Hands Atalanta Transfer Request

Fola Badmus2 months ago2 months ago06 mins

Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman has handed the club a formal transfer request, the player said Sunday. Lookman made the announcement with a statement posted on Instagram. The 27-year-old said the request was made “after many months of broken promises and what I feel has been poor treatment towards me as both a human being and as a professional footballer. “Sadly I feel I have no choice but to speak out for what I believe is right and I feel that enough is enough,” he said. He said in the statement that it had already been decided that it was the “right time” for him “to move on and experience a new adventure.” He said he and the club ownership had been “in agreement” that now was the right time for a transfer, and that the club agreed to let him leave if a fair offer was made. He said an offer did arrive but now the club was not sticking to its end of the agreement. “Despite now receiving an offer in alignment to what I believe had been discussed, sadly the club are blocking the opportunity for reasons I do not understand,” he said. “Over the past three years at Atalanta. I’ve given absolutely evrything. Not just as a footballer, but as a person. I’ve always worn the shirt with pride and tried to represent this club and the city of Bergamo with heart, passion and dedication. “I came here with the hope of helping this special club grow and together, we’ve created memories that stay with me forever. Winning the Europa League and standing shoulder to shoulder with my teammates that night in Dublin celebrating with our fans was one of the proudest moments of my career so far. It still gives me goosebumps thinking about it. “Atalanta, and especcially its supporters, have become a part of me. This place has felt like home from the moment I arrived, and I’ve always tried to repay that love-even in moments where things haven’t been easy behind the scenes. “That’s what makes writing this so hard. I have loved every moment but feel that now, after three wonderful years in Bergamo, it is the right time to move on and experience a new adventure. There have been numerous clubs approach Atalanta in the past and I have previously always stayed loyal. However, myself and the ownership of the club have been in agreement that now is the right time and the club were clear with me that if a fair offer come in they would allow me to move. “As a result and after many months of broken promises and what I feel has been poor treatment towards me as both a human being and as a professional footballer, sadly I feel I have no choice but to speak out for what I believe is right and I feel that enough is enough. I can confirm I have now handed in a formal transfer request. “Even throughout the extremely difficult moments I’ve endured, many of which have remained private and confidential. I have always tried to put the club, the fans and the team first and hoped it would not get to this, but I unfortunately feel there is now little choice. “To the fans -the heartbeat of this club -I want to say this: I’m truly sorry it’s come to this. I hope you can understand this incredibly difficult situation. It’s simply about standing up for what I believe is fair and right. The support you have always give me has been incredible and the bond we have created together is special. “I hope to work together with the club to find an amicable solution for all parties as soon as possible,” the forward stated.

Nigerian Goalkeeper Bags Two-Month Ban

Fola Badmus2 months ago2 months ago03 mins

Super Eagles and Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, who had been accused of match-fixing, has been cleared of all charges but given a two-month ban by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), the Serie A club said. The FIGC National Federal Court, which met on Tuesday to discuss the charge against Nigerian Okoye, “has excluded any involvement of the player in sports offences, after accepting the arguments of his lawyers”, Udinese said in a statement. “During the trial, all charges of alleged sporting misconduct were dropped, and the decision to impose a two-month ban was based solely on a violation of the general principle of fairness (Article 4 of the Federal Sports Justice Code). “The club has stated that it is satisfied with the court’s conclusion that the player was not involved in the infamous match-fixing theory. The club wishes to reiterate its full support for Okoye, who is awaiting the reasons for the decision. Udinese Calcio reasserts that it is firmly convinced of Maduka’s proper conduct.” The 25-year-old Nigerian international was alleged to have deliberately collected a booking during his team’s Italian league match against Lazio in March 2024. The German-born goalkeeper received a yellow card for time-wasting, after an alleged deal reached with a friend who won 120,000 euros ($140,000) as a result of a bet. The FIGC investigation established that there was no intention to fix the match, which would have been punishable by a four-year fine. However Okoye, who has been with Udinese since 2023, will be suspended from August 18 to October 19. He will therefore miss seven of his team’s matches — six in the league and one in the Coppa Italia.

Juventus Tables New Contact for Osimhen

Fola Badmus3 months ago3 months ago12 mins

Serie A giants Napoli will definitely see Victor Osimhen depart this summer and there is increasing possibility of him joining Juventus. The Bianconeri were linked with the striker some months ago and now, they are back in the fray, with the forward struggling to attract suitable offers for himself. Gianluca di Marzio has reported that the Old Lady have two options for the striker’s department and while one is Jonathan David, the key target is Osimhen. They are serious about signing the Nigeria international and Igor Tudor is keen to have him in Turin. Contact between the two parties intensified over the weekend. Juve’s goal is to acquire the player’s approval for the transfer so that they can then agree a wage with the player. After that, they will negotiate with Napoli, who have inserted a release clause in Osimhen’s current contract but it is only applicable to clubs abroad.

Osimhen Rejects Al Hilal Move

Fola Badmus3 months ago3 months ago02 mins

Serie A giants Napoli were close to selling Victor Osimhen to Al Hilal but the move will now not go through. Earlier today, it became clear that the Saudi Arabian club will trigger the player’s release clause and they were only waiting for the Nigerian’s go-ahead for a transfer. It seems as if the move will not go through after all. Gianluca di Marzio has reported that the striker has made it clear that he will not join Al Hilal. This has happened after the Napoli player made some final assessments about the potential transfer. Initially, the Saudi club had offered a fee that was slightly lower that the player’s release clause. But that wasn’t enough for Napoli, who wanted a higher fee and the release clause was triggered. Alfredo Pedulla has revealed that Al Hilal had offered Osimhen a wage of over €30 million per season but the player’s ‘no’ is quite decisive.

Chukwueze Reflects on Milan’s Disastrous Season

Fola Badmus4 months ago4 months ago04 mins

AC Milan winger Samuel Chukwueze has admitted that the 2024-25 season has been the worst of his career, in terms of team performance. The campaign did not start off the way that Milan hoped and they were forced into a coaching change in December, with Sergio Conceicao replacing Paolo Fonseca. He won a trophy after just a few days, namely the Supercoppa Italiana out in Saudi Arabia. Things only went downhill from there, with elimination in the Champions League against Feyenoord being the biggest disappointment. Conceicao’s side ended up finishing eighth place in Serie A and lost the Coppa Italia final against Bologna. Thus, the decision was made to enact some big changes ahead of 2025-26. Igli Tare came in as the sporting director one week ago, with Massimiliano Allegri’s return as head coach having been confirmed on Friday. Chukwueze was a guest on Victor Modo‘s podcast and he made some revealing comments about how he views the season that has just ended, though he did also praise the loyalty of the Milan fans. “Last season is something we don’t really want to talk about. It was a bad season for the Milan fans and for everyone involved. Honestly, it’s one of the worst seasons of my professional career. I’m not going to lie – we didn’t win anything, I didn’t play much, even though I had the stats. “We crashed out of the Champions League, lost in the cup, fell short in the league – everything just went wrong. It was a tough season, with injuries, changing the coach, bringing in a new one. It was all upside down. “The Milan fans are some of the best in the world. They truly deserve better. They travel with us in the rain, and even when it’s freezing, you see them taking off their shirts, chanting and showing unwavering support. “Unfortunately, we let them down this season. I hope next season will be much better in Milan — winning the Scudetto, the Coppa Italia, and securing Champions League qualification to make up for everything,” he assured.

Barca Considers Ademola Lookman Move

Fola Badmus5 months ago5 months ago04 mins

Barcelona are reportedly considering making a move for Atalanta BC attacker Ademola Lookman during this summer’s transfer window. The 27-year-old has been in excellent form for Atalanta during the 2024-25 campaign, making 37 appearances in all competitions, scoring 18 goals and registering seven assists in the process. Lookman has 13 goals and five assists in 28 Serie A matches this term, while he also impressed in the Champions League, scoring five goals and registering two assists, before the Italian team were eliminated by Club Brugge in the knockout round playoffs. The forward’s future is currently the subject of much speculation, with Arsenal and Manchester United both believed to be considering making a move for him during this summer’s transfer window. According to Fichajes, Barcelona are also in the hunt, with the Catalan outfit giving serious consideration to making an offer. The report claimed that Lookman may be available for as little as €35m (£30m), which would represent a bargain considering his quality, and his arrival would give Barcelona a different option in the final third of the field. Lookman was born in London, coming through the youth system at Charlton Athletic before representing their first team on 49 occasions, scoring 12 times, and his form earned him a switch to Everton. The Nigeria international found it difficult to make his mark for the Toffees, scoring just four times in 48 appearances, before having an unsuccessful spell at RB Leipzig, spending time out on loan with Fulham and Leicester City. Lookman has finally realised his potential at Atalanta, though, representing the Italian side on 115 occasions, scoring 50 goals and registering 24 assists in the process. The attacker is capable of playing in a number of different positions, but he has mainly operated as a second striker, scoring 12 times and registering four assists in 25 outings while starting in the position behind the main forward. As well as Arsenal and Man United, Chelsea and Liverpool are believed to be keen on Lookman, with his bargain price making him a very attractive proposition during the summer market. Lookman is entering his prime, and his previous experience of English football should stand him in good stead. The forward is a different player to the one who left Everton in 2019 and then spent time on loan at Fulham and Leicester. Much will come down to which club shows the strongest interest, as Lookman will want to be an important player at this stage of his career, and it is difficult to imagine him becoming a starter at Barcelona, especially not next season.

Juventus sacks manager Thiago Motta

Fola Badmus6 months ago6 months ago02 mins

Juventus have sacked head coach Thiago Motta less than a season into his tenure and moved quickly to line up his replacement. Motta, 42, was officially informed of his dismissal by the club’s hierarchy on Sunday after a nightmare run of results and has been replaced by Igor Tudor. Tudor, whose last managerial role came at Serie A rivals Lazio, will take charge for the rest of the season with Champions League qualification crucial in determining whether his deal is extended. He will oversee his first training session on Monday. Juventus crashed out of the Champions League and both the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana this season, and recently suffered a 4-0 humbling at the hands of title contenders Atalanta, their heaviest home defeat since 1967. Motta’s last match at the helm proved to be the 3-0 loss at eighth-placed Fiorentina, a result that left the Old Lady in fifth, one point adrift of fourth.