Ex Charlton Athletic and Fulham star on verge of £51m transfer to European giants

Former Charlton Athletic and Fulham player Ademola Lookman is on the verge of completing a £51 million transfer move to a European giant after a stunning season at Atalanta last time out.

The 26-year-old has found himself a hot talking topic as the summer transfer window comes to a close with an imminent exit from Italy expected. Lookman has been playing for Atalanta since being signed from RB Leipzig in 2022.

The forward, who was born in London and played for the England youth set up before electing to represent Nigeria on the international stage, grabbed 17 goals and 10 assists in all competitions last season. That form helped Atalanta to a Europa League win and now the Serie A outfit is reportedly ready to cash in on their star man while he is at the peak of his powers.

Lookman still has another two years left on his contract but has been hotly tipped to join Paris Saint-Germain and make the jump to Champions League football. Atalanta have slapped a £51 million price tag on the player, which could however prove an obstacle in that move, with Premier League clubs waiting should it collapse.

Transfer specialist Florian Plettenberg took to social media platform X on Sunday to provide the latest update. He said: "Ademola Lookman, still very keen to join Paris Saint-Germain as PSG is currently his first choice. 26 y/o versatile striker waiting for decisions. But a possible deal currently stalling as there’s no club-to-club agreement and Paris currently not willing to pay the demanded amounts.

"Therefore, PSG deal currently unlikely. Arsenal and other top clubs, still monitoring Lookman‘s situation. Wait and see."

News of a PSG stumbling block could come as a huge boost for Arsenal. Premier League rivals Liverpool have also been named as a potential suitor by the Liverpool Echo as the window nears a close this summer.

It has been noted that Lookman is represented by the same agency as Gunners star Kai Havertz, which could help the London outfit with any potential negotiations. So far, Mikel Arteta has only added Riccardo Calafiori to his squad with David Raya also making his loan move a permanent deal.

Lookman is a product of the Charlton Athletic youth system and spent four years at the club between 2013 and 2017, before moving to Everton. The winger was named the Championship's LFE Apprentice of the Year in 2016 while at The Valley.

The Europa League winner made a total of 49 appearances for Charlton Athletic, scoring 12 goals and picking up three assists. The Toffees paid a reported fee of £11 million to bring Lookman to Merseyside in January 2017.

Lookman’s time at Craven Cottage was a short affair, being loaned to Fulham for the 2020/21 season from Leipzig. He made 35 appearances for the Cottagers with four goals and four assists to his name.