Since Nigeria international Ademola Lookman released a statement expressing frustration over his blocked transfer from Atalanta, debates have erupted across the media world.
The reactions have been mixed, some expressing support, others confusion, and a vocal section accusing the Italian club of racial bias.
For many Nigerian fans, the situation felt all too familiar. Most recently, top African stars in Italy like Kalidou Koulibaly of Senegal and Nigerian, Victor Osimhen, have either been mocked by their clubs or held against their will despite impressive performances.
But as emotionally compelling as the racism arguments are, the evidence in this case points more clearly to a contractual and sporting issue, not racial discrimination.
Lookman’s journey with Atalanta has been nothing short of transformative. Since joining the Serie A side from RB Leipzig in 2022, he has become one of the most consistent performers in Italian football.
He cemented his place in European football history with a stunning hat-trick in the 2024 Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen in Dublin, Atalanta’s first major European title.
In two seasons, Lookman has scored 52 goals in 117 matches, an outstanding return for a wide forward. Given this pedigree and his contribution, the Nigerian winger expected to move on this summer transfer window to a bigger stage.
According to him, there was a verbal agreement with Atalanta that if he stayed for the 2023–24 season, the club would allow him to leave in the next window if a suitable offer arrived.
This summer, that offer reportedly came from Serie A giants, Inter Milan. According to transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano and Sky Italia, Lookman accepted it and made clear he was ready for the move.
But Atalanta refused to sell. Feeling betrayed, Lookman took to social media to release a statement accusing the club of “breaking promises” and “blocking opportunities” for reasons he did not understand.
He, on Sunday via his X account, stated that he had submitted a formal transfer request and felt he had no other choice than to speak out publicly.
For many fans, particularly those from Nigeria, the situation raises again the topic about how African players are treated by European clubs, especially in Italy.
However, Atalanta’s side of the story paints a different picture. According to club CEO Luca Percassi via a press conference, the verbal agreement with Lookman came with two key conditions: first, the club would only allow a move to a “super-top European club”; and second, they would not sell him to another Italian team.
From Atalanta’s perspective, Lookman is now violating both those conditions. According to Goal, he has rejected strong interest from clubs like PSG, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid, instead choosing to focus exclusively on joining Serie A rivals Inter Milan a move that directly contradicts the second term of their understanding.
Percassi was clear when addressing the media: “Last year, we promised ourselves that in Italy, he would never be seen wearing a jersey other than Atalanta’s. Things have changed now, but we decide when and how.”
From the club perspective, this is not about disrespecting the player or disregarding his ambitions. It’s about protecting their competitive interests in the league.
Selling one of their top players to a direct rival would be a risk. Atalanta is a regular competitor for European places, and Inter Milan is a league top club. In a title race or Champions League qualification battle, one Lookman goal for Inter could come at Atalanta’s expense.
Based on existing history in football transfers and despite the emotional reactions surrounding the case, this is far from a racial issue.
The dynamics at play are familiar to anyone who closely follows football’s transfer market. Clubs often make promises they later qualify or delay. Players frequently become pawns in wider negotiations, no matter their race, nationality, or popularity.
The Lookman situation isn’t unique, and similar stories have played out repeatedly across European football in recent years. For example, consider Viktor Gyökeres.
After a stunning first season at Sporting CP, the Swedish forward attracted offers of more than €80 million from top English clubs. Despite those offers, Sporting held firm, pointing to a €100 million release clause. Gyökeres is a white European, and there were no cries of racism when his move was blocked.
Sporting was simply doing what they believed was best for their team. Gyökeres eventually joined Arsenal this summer.
Another popular case is Moisés Caicedo. The Ecuadorian midfielder wanted to leave Brighton for Arsenal in early 2023. Even after publicly pleading with the club and skipping training sessions, Brighton refused to let him go until their exact valuation, over £100 million was met.
The process dragged on for months. Caicedo got his move eventually, but not to Arsenal, this time Chelsea. Again, it was not about discrimination it was business.
Even English players, including the most high-profile ones, have found themselves in similar binds. Tottenham Hotspur famously refused to let Harry Kane join Manchester City in 2021, despite the striker’s public desire to leave.
The chairman, Daniel Levy, was unmoved by Kane’s loyalty and achievements at the North London club, prioritizing Tottenham’s leverage in the market over sentiment. It wasn’t until a year later that Kane secured a move to Bayern Munich, and not to another English club.
Victor Osimhen’s case, often mentioned in parallel with Lookman’s, is another example of a club flexing its authority.
Napoli received huge offers from Italian Clubs this summer per Fabrizio Romano, but refused to sell. Even after a controversial episode in which the club’s social media team mocked the Nigerian striker with a TikTok video, Osimhen stayed put. Napoli’s stance wasn’t racially motivated; it was about maximizing profit on the prolific 2023 CAF player of the year.
In all these cases, what’s evident is that clubs retain the final say when it comes to transfers. Players can express a desire to leave.
Agents can negotiate terms. Verbal agreements can be made. But unless there’s a legally binding release clause, the club decides whether or not to sell. Often, it’s not about emotion or fairness, it’s about valuation, timing, and leverage.
For Lookman, the frustration is understandable. From his perspective, he fulfilled his end of the bargain.
He stayed for another season, performed well, and now wants to move on. But football many atimes doesn’t always operate on gentlemanly ethics.
Agreements made in handshakes are often rewritten by circumstances. Clubs change their minds, especially when their valuation of a player increases, or when the buying club is a rival. While it may feel unjust, it isn’t uncommon.
What makes Lookman’s case feel racially charged to many is the larger context. Italian football has a long and troubling history with racism, from monkey chants in stadiums to offensive headlines in newspapers. That history is very real and deserves serious attention.
But not every dispute involving a Black player should be read through that lens. To do so undermines the credibility of real racial abuse cases that require urgent action and global solidarity.
Unless Lookman has a release clause (which he does not), Atalanta can choose when, where, and for how much he is sold.
His best path forward may be to reopen dialogue with the club or encourage Inter to raise their offer to a point Atalanta cannot ignore which is reported by Sky Italia to be €50m (£43m/$58m).
Lookman remains an Atalanta player, whether that changes before the window closes remains to be seen. But what is certain is that this case, while dramatic, is not extraordinary. It’s part of the business side of football that fans rarely celebrate but players must navigate.
