For more than a month now, Demola Lookman has clearly displayed his desire to join Inter Milan, which has already offered him a five -year contract with an annual salary of 4 million euros. A total verbal agreement was even reached between the Nerazzurri and the player's camp. However, negotiations between Inter and Atalanta remain blocked: the last Milanese offer, formulated by Giuseppe Marotta and Piero Ausilio, reached 42 million euros fixed, accompanied by 3 million bonuses, for a total of 45 million. A still insufficient proposal for the Bergamo club, which estimates its winger at 50 million euros. Faced with this dead end, the Inter begins to consider other tracks, while Lookman maintains the pressure to force his departure to Milan. In parallel, Naples remains in ambush: the Azzurri surveyed the player by promising a salary increase of one million euros, but the Nigerian international continues to make Inter his absolute priority. The clash is now total between Ademola Lookman and all the components of the club. The player is out of course with management as with technical staff and part of the locker room. The fracture seems irreversible.
“”Although I received an offer in accordance with what I think I have been discussed, the club blocks the opportunity for reasons that I do not understand. This is why, after months of unwarmed promises and what I perceive as an unfair treatment with regard to me as a man and as a footballer, I regret having no choice but to defend what I consider as right. I confirm that I officially filed a transfer request. I hope we can work with the club to find an amicable solution for all the parties concerned as soon as possible». A press release which had the effect of a shock wave in Bergamo, but which was above all followed by much stronger acts. Faced with this media torrent, the ultras bergamasques did not hesitate to speak to violently apostropil their hero of the final of the Europa 2024 League: “Too much, that's too much!” Unworthy agents and ungrateful players, respect the supporters and those who supported you ”could we read on the banner deposited near the Zingonia training center.
The DEA Tape of the fist on the table
Indeed, Lookman did not show up in Zingonia for the resumption of training on Monday, without known medical reasons (even if the player indicates suffering from a calf embarrassment). An absence of meaning, revealing a clear break with the Bergamasque club. Not only did the Nigerian international miss the session, but he also did not share lunch with his teammates at the training center. An attitude he reiterated the next day. Moreover, Atalanta will financially sanction its player in the coming hours since the native of Peckham near London is announced absent this Wednesday for the third consecutive day. According to point 5.2.13 of the collective agreement between Serie A and the Italian Footballers Federation, a club may suspend the salary of a player if he does not present himself in training after three convocations, spaced at least 48 hours in the space of a week. “The obligation of clubs to pay remuneration, both in the fixed and variable part, is suspended, following a communication from the start date of one of the following two circumstances and for all its duration (…) if the player is unavailable for three summons to training sessions or to matches spaced at least forty-eight hours in a period of at least seven days”. The club denied rumors that Lookman has emptied his locker, but the situation remains tense. If no progress is noted, disciplinary fines and sanctions could be envisaged. In the event of climbing, the Atalanta could even seize the arbitral commission to officially exclude it from the professional group, an extreme measure provided for by the regulations, as indicated in point 5.2.15. With this showdown, the leaders did not hesitate to give their version of the facts.
“It's a good opportunity to clarify what happened. Last year, faced with an offer of 20 million euros from PSG, the player asked us to sell it. Atalanta, being a respectable and respected club with values, promised to be able to sell the player during this transfer window on two conditions which he had posed to us: first, that he joins a leading European club and that in Italy, he was never seen under another jersey than that of Atalanta, both for what he did and for what he received from the club. Today, the situation you know is very different. In any case, the club is always attentive to assess the statutes and values of its players, but as always, it is the club of the Atalanta which will decide at the end “said Luca Percassi at a press conference. But that's not all. According to Sky Italiathe situation between Ademola Lookman and Atalanta took an even more tense turning point. The Nigerian striker would no longer even respond to the calls of Bergamasque leaders, a sign of a total break in communication. Worse still, his entourage and would have left him bergamous in recent days, confirming a little more the player's will to cut the bridges with the club and force his departure. Some Italian sources even indicate that the 27 -year -old would have taken a few days away from Italy. We feel that the Lookman-Atalanta affair is just beginning. Between requirements, silences and misunderstandings, one of the most stormy soap operas of this summer transfer window is played out. The ball is now in the Percassi and Pagliuca camp: should they satisfy the player or reimpise the Atalanta method? The answer may come in a few days since Inter Milan plans to increase its offer. Time is running out and Atalanta has other hot files to complete on the market to strengthen the workforce of Ivan Jurić.
