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Lookman Sets Record as First English-born Player to Feature in Europe’s ‘Big Four’ Leagues

Says ‘thank you’ to Atalanta fans for making him “the best version of myself”

Following Atletico Madrid’s confirmation that they have signed Super Eagles forward, Ademola Lookman, from Atalanta, the 2024 African Player of the Year has become the first English-born player to have played in the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A and La Liga.

The deal is reportedly worth €40 million (€35 million plus five million euros in add-ons). Lookman himself will earn around €10 million over the four years deal.

According to BBC, only 21 players have done so, while only three – Christian Poulsen, Justin Kluivert and Stevan Jovetic – have featured in all of Europe’s “big five” leagues, which also includes France’s Ligue 1.

The London-born 28-year-old has played in Serie A since 2022, scoring 55 times and making 27 assists following a move from Bundesliga club RB Leipzig.

His goals included a hat-trick in the Europa League finalagainst Bayer Leverkusen in 2024, which secured the club’s first European trophy.

In 2024, he was named African Footballer of the Yearand was also the only African player on the men’s Ballon d’Or shortlist that year, finishing 14th.

He represented England at youth level, winning the Under-20 World Cup in 2017, before making his debut for Nigeria in 2022.

Atletico, who are third in Spain’s top flight and trail leaders Barcelona by ten points, announced they had agreed a deal with Atalanta on Monday before confirming that Lookman has signed until June 2030 on transfer deadline day.

He began his career at Charlton Athletic, playing his first game in 2015, before moving to Everton two years later, where he scored on his Premier League debut. Following a successful loan spell, he then moved permanently to Leipzig in July 2019.

He then had season-long loans with Fulham and Leicester City before making the switch to Italy.

Meanwhile, Lookman has said goodbye to Atalanta after he signed for Spanish club Atletico Madrid yesterday.

The Super Eagles star said the Italian team welcomed him warmly and pushed him to be “the best version of myself”.

He also highlighted the Europa League conquest in 2023, the first major trophy of Atalanta in 61 years and scoring a hat-trick on “a night none of us will ever forget” as well as being crowned African Player of the Year in 2024 as an Atalanta player.

He reserved special praise for the Atalanta fans.

“To the fans, your passion, your belief, your energy meant everything,” he commended.

“From day one, you stood by me and by this team through every moment. Your passion, your voices, your belief never faded and together we achieved.

“Every cheer, every banner, every away trip meant something. Thank you for making Bergamo feel like home and for giving me memories I’ll carry forever,” Lookman concluded in his goodbye message to Atalanta fans posted on social media on Monday evening.

Source: https://www.thisdaylive.com/2026/02/03/lookman-sets-record-as-first-english-born-player-to-feature-in-europes-big-four-leagues/

A Nigerian!!

Wetin be English-born. If e do bad thing now, BBC no go hesitate to day a "Nigerian-national".

Anyways, well-done Lookman 💯🙌🏾

In terms of achievements, Ademola is actually a bigger player than victor Osimhen. He's just a cool headed guy who doesn't make noise like Osimhen.

Hmmmmmmmmmm, wow for real

Funny headline by a racist journalist

GOOD MOVE BROTHER!! MORE WINS

richiemcgold:
Interms of achievement, Ademola is actually a bigger player than victor Osimhen

In life if you have a gift without Attitude, it limits your growth, Lookman is Man who is 100 % calm with right attitude

If he is the First African Player,
Or First Nigerian Player,
Then it is worth celebrating.

But First English-Born is not worth celebrating, at least by Nigerians.

richiemcgold:
In terms of achievements, Ademola is actually a bigger player than victor Osimhen. He's just a cool headed guy.

Lookman plays football better than Osimhen.

Interesting that’s what we talking about

His arrogant counterpart is forming King in Chicken.

Stephen0mozzy:
A Nigerian!!

Wetin be English-born. If e do bad thing now, BBC no go hesitate to day a "Nigerian-national".

Anyways, well-done Lookman 💯🙌🏾

Nah from them tinubu learn tribalism.

English Born =good news
Nigerian = bad news

His weekly pay is very low ! How can he earn 10 million Euro over four years ! Thats basically 50k euro per week.or is it 10 million euro per year?

Lookman is going places. Good character plus talent

bewisemasses:
Lookman is going places. Good character plus talent

Mention his name don’t hide it. I mean that one person wey you Dey banter

You too see am?

E hard them to call him a Nigerian.

But true true, na their the doors open for him.

Stephen0mozzy:
A Nigerian!!

Wetin be English-born. If e do bad thing now, BBC no go hesitate to day a "Nigerian-national".

Anyways, well-done Lookman 💯🙌🏾

Hahahahaha congratulations man

This history for us
God we thank you for this new born boy that's setting record for our future yet to born children that will wan to emulate this young boy

richiemcgold:
In terms of achievements, Ademola is actually a bigger player than victor Osimhen. He's just a cool headed guy who doesn't make too much noise like Osimhen.

What happened on the field was not about achievements. It was simply a passion to win and focus on the mission that was expressed to an extreme.

It was not personal, nor malicious....it was simply a lack.of manners. That is where it begins and ends.

Congrats to lookman more goals to his boot.

It will feel really good watching our own very ADEMOla Lookman DEMOlishing "Penalty a favordel Real Madrid ".

In football terms, being a journey man when not even close to 30 is not something to be proud of

And this is not about tribe

richiemcgold:
In terms of achievements, Ademola is actually a bigger player than victor Osimhen. He's just a cool headed guy who doesn't make noise like Osimhen.

First Nigerian, which nonsense English born

If he commit a crime they won't remember English born

Lookman, abeg make us proud. God bless you.

Olu1000:
His weekly pay is very low ! How can he earn 10 million Euro over four years ! Thats basically 50k euro per week.or is it 10 million euro per year?

No, it’s 7 million per year deal. That’s roughly 134k per week.

Stephen0mozzy:
A Nigerian!!

Wetin be English-born. If e do bad thing now, BBC no go hesitate to day a "Nigerian-national".

Anyways, well-done Lookman 💯🙌🏾

Na so....failure is always an orphan

That manchi na African man no be English born

English born wey dey play for Nigeria, Una dey colo abi?

Congrats to Ademola Lookman. Keep the flag flying bro

He has set a record so the the word "English " must be there.
If it was otherwise, the caption would've been "Nigerian International Footballer..."