RECENTLY crowned African Footballer of The Year Ademola Lookman marked his return to Atalanta’s starting lineup with a crucial goal in their 3-2 victory over Empoli on Sunday, helping extend La Dea’s lead at the Serie A summit to two points.
Lookman, who paraded his CAF award before kick-off at the Gewiss Stadium, netted just before half-time to put Atalanta 2-1 ahead after falling behind to an early Lorenzo Colombo strike.
“Hungrier than ever. Big win,” Lookman wrote on social media after the match, which extended Atalanta’s club record winning streak to 11 consecutive Serie A victories.
The 27-year-old Nigeria Forward has been in exciting form this season, with nine goals and four assists in 14 league appearances. His overall tally stands at 12 goals and five assists across all competitions.
The win ensures Atalanta will spend Christmas at the Serie A summit for the first time in their 116-year history, continuing their remarkable campaign following an impressive 2023/2024 that saw them claim their first European trophy through Lookman’s historic hat-trick against Bayer Leverkusen in Dublin.
Lookman’s impressive performances have seen his stock rise astronomically, with his market value jumping from €30m at the end of 2023 to €55m, making him Nigeria’s second most valuable player behind countryman Victor Osimhen.
His remarkable year included three goals and two assists as Nigeria reached the Africa Cup of Nations final in February, while his UEFA Europa League heroics in May helped cement his place among football’s elite, culminating in a 14th-place finish in the 2024 Ballon d’Or rankings.
The forward’s triumph at the CAF Awards made him the seventh Nigerian to win the prestigious honour, following in the footsteps of Rashidi Yekini, Emmanuel Amuneke, Nwankwo Kanu, Victor Ikpeba, and Osimhen.
His continued excellence has attracted interest from several European giants, with Liverpool recently seeing an approach rejected by Atalanta, who are determined to retain their talisman.
“Our plan is not to change anything in the January window,” Atalanta President Antonio Percassi recently stated amid growing speculation about Lookman’s future.
Lookman’s immediate focus remains on maintaining Atalanta’s remarkable run as they aim to secure their first-ever Serie A title, having already made history by qualifying for the Champions League and winning the Europa League in 2024.
