Arsenal have made contact with Serie A side Atalanta to secure the services of in-demand striker Ademola Lookman.
Mikel Arteta and his entourage have been aggressively on the hunt for options in the attacking third. The arrival of Viktor Gyokeres has not made the Arsenal supporters content, and they are seeking another recruit.
The striker has played in England in the Championship and Premier League before and enjoyed several stints with Charlton Athletic, Everton, Fulham and Leicester City. During the last season in Bergamo, Lookman found his groove and has attracted attention from several suitors across Europe.
The Arsenal angle
Arsenal have not yet reaped the benefits in their bid to sign Crystal Palace attacker Eberechi Eze. Forcing the Gunners to seek alternatives to the English attacker. Reliable sources have confirmed that Arsenal tabled an ambitious bid for the 27-year-old striker, which was turned down by the Italian side, Atalanta.
The Gunners made an offer of £45 million, but to no avail. It is understood that Lookman has his eyes firmly fixed on a move to Italian heavyweights, Inter Milan. The team have been heavily linked with a move for the forward who scored 20 goals last season. Lookman even refused to partake in pre-season training with Atalanta.
Can Inter Milan make the deal happen?
However, Inter Milan, who seem to be in a tricky situation financially, have yet to meet Atalanta’s asking price of £43 million. Arsenal have been given the cold shoulder on this deal despite meeting the Italian side’s financial expectations.
Lookman’s reluctance to return to the country of his birth and his fixation on a move to the San Siro have left Arsenal short-footed in the transfer market. Not many times do we come across a situation where the buying club is ready to meet the selling price but is unable to convince the player on the transfer.
Lookman’s hesitation in returning to England can be understood from the fact that he has not enjoyed the best footballing years of his career in the Premier League. After having established himself in Serie A, the player is naturally inclined towards a move to one of the biggest teams in Europe, Inter Milan.