Inter have no intention of backing down in their chase for Ademola Lookman. Club president Beppe Marotta has made his stance clear: "You don’t win titles with 11 young talents alone. Alongside talent, you need experience. Lookman may not be a resale profile due to his age, but his quality can make the difference – a good player passes on important concepts to the youngsters and helps raise their value too".
With that in mind, Marotta is preparing to present a new bid to Atalanta CEO Luca Percassi. "This is the decisive week", Marotta stated. "I believe that within two or three days we will reach the conclusion of our discussions with Atalanta. If the conditions are right, we’ll activate a full negotiation and maybe close the deal. Otherwise, we will move in a different direction".
For now, however, there is no Plan B – it’s Lookman or nothing. Inter’s last offer stopped at €40 million, while Atalanta are holding out for €50 million. Marotta is ready to raise the bar to €43 million fixed, with another €3 million in add-ons. The deal will hinge on those bonuses, but there’s a strong feeling at Inter that a way forward will be found.
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The Nerazzurri already have a personal agreement with Lookman and his representatives: a contract worth €4.5 million net per season plus bonuses until 2030. The Nigerian forward has always honoured that commitment, reiterating to Atalanta and coach Ivan Jurić his desire to leave Bergamo.
Marotta also stressed that there is full alignment with new coach Cristian Chivu: "We’ve shared the vision of targeting players who bring versatility and allow him to play with different systems". That endorsement made it easier for the board to convince owners Oaktree to sanction a major investment.
With the green light given – pushing Inter’s summer spending beyond €100 million – the mission is clear: Lookman remains the absolute priority.
