Nigeria’s Lookman set to beat Inter’s Martinez and Napoli’s Lukaku to Serie A goal record

Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman is on the verge of reaching two significant milestones as Atalanta prepare to face Udinese in a Serie A clash this weekend, Soccernet.ng reports.

The match is scheduled for Saturday, January 11, at the Bluenergy Stadium in Udine, with a 3 pm kickoff, which is the 20th matchday of the Serie A season.

Lookman, who has been in sensational form for Atalanta, will achieve his 50th career goal in Europe’s top five leagues with his next strike.

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The 27-year-old has already tallied 11 Premier League goals, five in the German Bundesliga, and 33 in Serie A, bringing his total to 49.

Even more impressively, Lookman’s next goal will also be his tenth of the current Serie A season.

According to Opta, this would make him the first player to score double figures in Serie A for the last three consecutive seasons.

“Ademola Lookman (13 goals in 2022/23, 11 in 2023/24, and nine in the current championship) could become the first player to reach double figures for goals in each of the last three Serie A seasons. Furthermore, the next one will be the 50th goal for the Nigerian striker in the top five European leagues,” Opta stated as per Calcio Atalanta.

Lookman’s remarkable consistency puts him ahead of Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez and Napoli’s Romelu Lukaku, who have achieved similar double-figure scoring feats in the previous two campaigns but currently sit on seven and six league goals, respectively, this season.

The former Everton winger enjoyed a stellar 2024, ending the year as Serie A’s most productive player with 16 goals and 11 assists in all competitions.

His exploits earned him the prestigious CAF Africa Player of the Year award in December, a recognition of his brilliance on the pitch. He was also the only Nigerian nominated for the 2024 Ballon d’Or, which ultimately went to Manchester City’s Rodri.