Newly crowned African Player of The Year, Ademola Lookman, has seen his stock rise to €55m in the transfer market as he continues to enjoy success on and off the field.

According to the reliable players’ statistics and valuation website, Transfermarkt, the Nigerian forward’s stock rose by €15m, leapfrogging Bayer Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface (€45m) to become Nigeria’s current second most valuable player behind Victor Osimhen (€75m).

Lookman won the 2024 CAF POTY award on Monday night, beating off competitions from Ivory Coast’s Simon Adingra, Achraf Hakimi of Morocco, South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams and Guinea striker Serhou Guirassy.

He had also been ranked 14th in the 2024 Ballon d’Or rankings.

The 27-year-old winger has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the last two seasons, cementing his place among Nigeria’s most valuable footballers.

As of the end of 2023, Lookman was valued at €30m. However, an outstanding 12 months saw him gain €25 million in market worth, representing a remarkable 83.33 per cent increase.

By the end of June 2024, he was already valued at €40m, thanks to his effort in the UEFA Europa League final where he scored a hat-trick in the 3-0 win over Leverkusen and sealed Atalanta’s first European glory.

Transfermarkt’s Italy Area Manager, Jatin Dietl, highlighted Lookman’s transformative year.

“Lookman crowned his outstanding 2024 with the African Ballon d’Or on Monday, and rightly so,” Dietl stated.

“The 27-year-old has been in top form for months and is the protagonist of Atalanta’s current lead in the table. He has also led his club to its first international title in history with the three goals against Leverkusen.”

Before his current rise, Lookman has attracted attention from European giants like PSG, Arsenal, and Liverpool.

Media reports suggest that these clubs were keen on securing his services last summer, and it could prove challenging for Atalanta to keep him beyond the current season.

Atalanta President Antonio Percassi has reiterated that the Nigerian forward will not be sold during the January transfer window amid interest from elite clubs in Europe.

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

Credit: punchng.com