Newly awarded Africa best player, Ademola Lookman, has seen his stock value rise to €55m in the transfer market as he continues to celebrate success on and off the field.
The players’ statistics and valuation website, Transfermarkt, said the Nigerian forward’s stock rose by €15m, leapfrogging Bayer Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface (€45m) to become Nigeria’s current second most valuable player behind Victor Osimhen (€75m).
Lookman won the 2024 CAF award on Monday night, beating off competitions from Ivory Coast’s Simon Adingra, Achraf Hakimi of Morocco, South Africa goalkeeper Ronwen Williams and Guinea striker Serhou Guirassy.
He had also been ranked 14th in the 2024 Ballon d’Or rankings. The 27-year-old winger has enjoyed a meteoric increase in the last two seasons, cementing his place among Nigeria’s most valuable footballers.
As of the end of 2023, Lookman was valued at €30m. However, an outstanding 12 months saw him gain €25 million in market worth, representing a remarkable 83.33 percent increase.
By the end of June 2024, he was already valued at €40m, thanks to his effort in the UEFA Europa League final where he scored a hat-trick in the 3-0 win over Leverkusen and sealed Atalanta’s first European glory.
Transfermarkt’s Italy Area Manager, Jatin Dietl, highlighted Lookman’s transformative year.
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“Lookman crowned his outstanding 2024 with the African Ballon d’Or on Monday, and rightly so. The 27-year-old has been in top form for months and is the protagonist of Atalanta’s current lead in the table. He has also led his club to its first international title in history with the three goals against Leverkusen,” Dietl stated
Before his current rise, Lookman has attracted attention from European giants like PSG, Arsenal and Liverpool.
Media reports suggest that these clubs were keen on securing his services last summer and it could prove challenging for Atalanta to keep him beyond the current season.
Atalanta President, Antonio Percassi has reiterated that the Nigerian forward will not be sold during the January transfer window amid interest from elite clubs in Europe.
“Our plan is not to change anything in the January window,” the president said on Lookman’s future.
