Gianluigi Donnarumma, Ademola Lookman, and Dusan Vlahovic (Photo by Alex Grimm, Alessandro Sabattini, Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
Lookman and the recurring stomach aches. It was August 17, 2024, when Ademola first showed signs of a ‘stomach ache’ caused by the strong call of PSG. At that time, Luis Enrique’s team had no idea they would go on to complete a season full of success. Back then, tensions between the Nigerian and La Dea eased without raising much dust.
A few training sessions separately, and then it was peace again. About a year later, here we are again. History has repeated itself. This time, however, the player has raised his voice, publicly demanding a transfer. Not a great move. The reality is different from the virtual world; problems are solved with professionalism and direct confrontation between all parties.
Ademola returned on August 19, without even giving notice. With a spirit of service below zero, showing no respect for all those who pay his salary on time. He clung to promises written in the sand (like the famous ‘I love you’) advised by agents who deserve a bad grade; two, and I’m being generous, for handling this matter. After the social media storm, Lookman deleted jerseys and commemorative photos from social media, but his actions made things even worse.
I’m light-years away from those who claim that his contract will be adjusted, that an agreement will be found and that things will move along. What we are talking about here is a door slammed shut, a boulder crushing the Percassi family without the slightest scruple, a player who doesn’t even bother to notify when he’s coming back, as Atalanta had no idea he’d show up on August 19. Just unreliable.
Ademola Lookman’s agents have questions to answer
Let’s face it. It’s not like we’ll stop watching football or turn to another sport without Lookman. If he were reinstated, by September, he’d automatically come down with another stomach ache, betray once, betray always. His agents, who managed this whole story absurdly, should answer this question: why did they let themselves be strung along for over a month without securing even 20% of the result?
Viktor Gyokeres wanted Arsenal, and in the end, he got what he was chasing. Lookman was seduced by Inter, only to be set aside for four or five million, a story with just a few precedents. How can you trust someone who returns to wearing the Atalanta shirt after such an outrageous behaviour? Come on. Outside Italy, as I had mentioned, Arsenal showed interest in Lookman. It’s unclear whether that chapter will reopen, but I know for sure that if I were La Dea (who signed Nikola Krstovic in the meantime), I’d ship Lookman back to sender with simple priority mail.
Buckle up, because we’ll be talking plenty about Vlahovic in the last two weeks of the transfer market. Inevitably. The story is very complex and volatile; anything can happen, but it must be followed closely.
Let’s get back to Gigio Donnarumma and his future. There are significant updates. First of all, the key news is that in recent days, PSG and Manchester City have started talking intensively and directly. It would be the first deal between rival clubs and there’s a genuine willingness to reach a solution, even if the French club started with a valuation of €45/50m, a fee that Manchester City obviously have no intention of paying.
Meeting halfway? Possible. But at the same time, the Ederson deal with Galatasaray must be unlocked. The Turkish club have offered €10/12m, but the asking price is a little higher.
Guardiola wants Donnarumma even if it means waiting to get him on a free transfer, moving before the competitors. In these last two weeks of the summer transfer window, the goal is to find a solution that benefits both sides, including PSG, who would save on his huge wages, knowing that in just a few months, they’d earn nothing from a free transfer.
