Arsenal have opened talks with Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman over a potential transfer this summer as the Gunners look to strengthen their attacking options ahead of the new season.
According to AFTV, the North London club have made concrete contact with the Atalanta winger as they seek to address their long-standing issues in the final third.
The Gunners are expected to have a significant summer transfer window, desperately needing reinforcements to help their push for silverware next season. Whilst Arsenal have boasted one of the best defences in Europe for the past two seasons, conceding the fewest goals in the Premier League over that period, their attack has been their Achilles’ heel.
Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, and Leandro Trossard are capable players, but they have shown that they lack the quality to take Arsenal to the next level. The club particularly lacks a top striker and an elite left winger, positions that their competitors have filled with world-class talent.
Lookman has proven to be one of the top wingers in Europe over the last two years, combining pace, skill, and clinical finishing. The 26-year-old has been the main man in Atalanta’s attack, contributing 52 goals and 25 assists in 118 appearances across all competitions since joining the Italian club.
His crowning moment came in May 2024, when he scored a stunning hat-trick in the Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen to secure Atalanta’s first-ever European title. He remains the only player to score a hat-trick in a Europa League final.
However, the Nigeria international is keen to leave Bergamo this summer, with the club looking to cash in on him as he has just one year remaining on his contract. Atalanta are reportedly demanding €60 million for their star winger.
Arsenal face stiff competition for Lookman’s signature, with the forward being monitored by Juventus, Napoli, Manchester United, Liverpool and Barcelona. However, it is expected that he would prefer a return to England, where he started his career and has close friends and family.
Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has been pushing particularly hard to land the Nigerian, personally handling negotiations with Atalanta’s ownership, the Percassi family.
The Serie A champions are seeking a replacement for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who joined Paris Saint-Germain in January and could include the transfer rights of forward Giacomo Raspadori in the deal to lower Atalanta’s asking price. However, reports suggest Napoli have offered €50 million, falling short of the Italian club’s €60 million valuation.
