Italian former footballer and entrepreneur , Antonio Percassi has reiterated that Nigerian forward, Ademola Lookman will not be sold during the January transfer window amid interest from elite clubs in Europe.

Lookman has been one of the most sought-after players in Europe, following his exploits with the Italian club last season and how he has started the current campaign.

The 2024 CAF Player of The Year nominee’s recent involvement for Atalanta was the stoppage-time match-winner against AC Milan on Friday night, taking his tally to eight goals and four assists in 12 Serie A games and 10 goals and five assists in 17 games across all competitions this season.

Atlanta have been working on keeping the 27-year-old with another contract, as his current deal expires in 2026. But while they do that, their president, Percassi, has made their stance known again ahead of the January transfer window.

“Our plan is not to change anything in the January window,” the president said on Lookman’s future.

PUNCH Sports Extra had reported that the proposed contract extension for Lookman at Atalanta includes a substantial salary increase, as the club is determined to keep him in Bergamo for as long as possible.

Lookman continues to draw the attention of several top European clubs, with PSG, Manchester United, and Real Madrid among the most interested.

With Friday night’s win taking them temporarily top of the Serie A table with 34 points, two ahead of Napoli, Atalanta are contending for the Scudetto and performing well in the Champions League, with Lookman also maintaining that they must stick together, suggesting he’s ready to stay at least until the end of the season.

“It’s a very important game against a very strong team that is doing well in the League. We performed well, three big points and we continue like this,” Lookman told Sky Italia.

“I think we just continue to play the way we play, match by match. We believe in ourselves as a team, so we continue like this and stay together.”

Atalanta value Lookman at €60–€70m, a figure both PSG and Manchester United consider reasonable given his talent.

Lookman’s meteoric rise since his €15m move to Atalanta in 2022 has been remarkable. The 27-year-old forward made headlines last season with a historic hat-trick in the Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen, becoming the first player to achieve this feat in a European Cup final.

His exploits also earned him a 14th-place finish in the 2024 Ballon d’Or rankings and nominations for prestigious awards, including the CAF Men’s Player of the Year and the Globe Soccer Awards’ Best Men’s Player.

Credit: punchng.com