“Star factor” – Ex-US International weighs in on Lookman’s move to Atletico

Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman recently joined 2014 La Liga winners Atletico Madrid in a €40M [₦66B] deal from Atalanta, Soccernet.ng reports.

Former US U-23 and Hamburg midfielder Ian Paul Joy opined on Atleti's decision to go all out for the 28-year-old, remaining confident that the Nigerian will make a difference for Diego Simeone's men at the Wanda Metropolitano.

The 28-year-old penned an emotional farewell to the Atalanta fans yesterday, thanking them for the past few years.

In his time in Bergamo, the England-born Super Eagles star won the CAF Player of the Year while claiming 14th place in the 2024 Ballon d'Or rankings.

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Ian Paul Joy weighs in on Lookman's move to Atletico

Lookman is going to become only the second Nigerian to don the red and white colours of Atletico, and Ian Paul revealed the ex-Atalanta man has qualities that could spur Simeone's men in their push for a late title charge.

“I think a player like him can have a real impact and rejuvenate Atleti. Give them a little bit of a star factor, which I think they've been lacking,” the former St. Pauli left back said on the CBS Sports Golazo show.

“Julian Alvarez isn't scoring goals right now, but listen, a star player is going in there to make some noise, that's for sure,” Ian Paul Joy concluded.

CBS Pundit Phil Kitromilides also opined on Lookman's move to Madrid, citing his time in Italy as surreal and hinting it could be a brilliant deal for the 2014 La Liga winners.

“It's a really interesting and useful signing for Atleti. He's the kind of player that they don't have on their roster at the moment.

“They don't have someone who dribbles players at speed as Ademola Lookman can do.

“They do have Guillano Simeone on the other wing, who basically runs very fast in a straight line, and he's really good at that, but Lookman is a different kind of player.

“He can chip in with goals. Throughout all the seasons he's been in the Serie A, he has been a very good player.”

Lookman played 87 minutes for Atalanta after the AFCON 2025 tournament ended, but could make his debut for Atletico Madrid in two days.

The 2014 La Liga winners will play against Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey quarter-final at the Estadio La Cartuja de Sevilla.