(Football news) Ademola Lookman is now set to join Atalanta from RB Leipzig as the London-born ace is set to quit the Bundesliga side after making just 24 appearances for them since joining from Everton, initially on loan before being bought permanently in 2018. Lookman, who just turned 24 has spent the last two campaigns back in the Premier League, first being on loan at Fulham and then Leicester. He is now set for his first taste of Italian football as transfer expert Fabrizio Romano on Twitter said that “Lookman to Atalanta is imminent".
He claimed that the Nigerian international has agreed on personal terms, with just the final details of the deal that needs to be finalised. After 12 goals in 49 appearances, he was subsequently bought by Everton in the January transfer window of 2017 for a fee potentially rising to £11m. He got off to a dream start at Goodison Park when he scored for the Toffees in a 4-0 victory over Manchester City just days after signing. Lookman made 48 appearances in total for Everton before being eventually sold to Leipzig. He suffered relegation the following season with Fulham during the 2020-21 campaign but last season he enjoyed a better spell with Leicester. The forward managed to score eight goals and five assists for Brendan Rodgers in all competitions. While Atalanta are set to get a talented player in Lookman but their proposed deal for Arsenal flop Nuno Tavares looks set to fall through as the full-back is set to join Marseille on loan instead.
Former Premier League champions Leicester City are the only team in Europe’s major league not to sign any players this summer. The start of the Premier League is in just 8 days away and the Foxes have done no business as of now. Leicester City had a fairly poor last season as Brendan Rodgers’ side finished 8th in the Premier League table and missed out on European football. The Foxes were expected to sign some players this summer transfer window to get their project back on track. It was reported that Leicester were seriously interested in signing Ademola Lookman but RB Leipzig didn’t want to wait for the Foxes’ bid, hence they sold him to Atalanta. Goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic has left the club and Belgium midfielder Dennis Praet has returned to the club after a fairly poor loan spell in Italy.
To make matters worse now Chelsea are interested in Leicester’s star centre-half Wesley Fofana as the French centre-half may be tempted to jump ship considering the foxes’ current situation. It was reported that club captain Kasper Schmeichel has decided to leave the club this summer. According to English reports, Schmeichel has agreed personal terms with French side Nice. The deal is only subject to Leicester finding a replacement for the Danish goalkeeper as Leicester have shortlisted Arsenal second goalkeeper Bernd Leno as his potential replacement.
Belgium superstar Youri Tielemans has also drawn interest from Premier League giants like Arsenal and Manchester United and could also leave this summer. To make matters even worse for the foxes, 10 first-team players are out of contract at the end of next season. The list includes the likes of Caglar Söyüncü, Daniel Amartey, Jamie Vardy and Jonny Evans who are all out of contract next summer. The owners and the board need to act fast in the current transfer window and along with that also sort out the contract situation of their star players.
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