Atalanta CEO Luca Percassi has responded to Ademola Lookman’s statement confirming he has handed in a formal transfer request, reiterating that the club will remain in control of any potential exit, Bold Sports reports.
Percassi revealed that the Nigerian international had previously asked to leave following an offer from Paris Saint-Germain, but the club had only agreed to facilitate a move under strict conditions.
“Last year, there was a €20 million offer from Paris Saint-Germain, and the player asked to be sold,” Percassi told reporters. “We decided to grant him this transfer window, but there were two conditions: the offer had to come from a major European club, and he wouldn’t wear a shirt other than Atalanta in Italy.”
He added that the current situation has evolved, but Atalanta will remain firm in protecting their sporting and financial interests: “Today, the situation is different, but we will always be careful to evaluate both the waiting time and the exit valuation of our players. The final say on the deal rests with Atalanta.”
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The comments come in the wake of Lookman’s message on Sunday, where he accused the club of breaking promises and blocking a transfer he believed had been pre-agreed if a fair offer arrived. Inter Milan had submitted a €45 million proposal, which was rejected by Atalanta, who are standing firm on a €50 million valuation.
Atalanta’s reluctance to strengthen a domestic rival mirrors a growing trend among top Italian clubs, including a similar clause in Victor Osimhen’s situation.
When Galatasaray were in talks to sign the former Napoli striker this summer, they reportedly agreed not to sell him to another Serie A club for at least two years — a move aimed at preventing internal league reinforcement.
Lookman has already agreed personal terms with Inter and removed all Atalanta references from his social media accounts. With Inter still pushing and Atalanta’s management standing firm, the next few days will be decisive in determining whether the deal progresses or collapses entirely.
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