Spurs set to battle Inter in €50m race for Nigeria’s Lookman

Tottenham Hotspur have entered the race to sign Nigerian international Ademola Lookman, as Inter Milan prepare a final offer to meet Atalanta’s €50m valuation for the in-demand forward

According to Gazzetta dello Sport via FCInterNews, Inter have already seen two bids rejected for the 27-year-old but remain determined to secure his signature.

The Serie A giants are now ready to match Atalanta’s asking price with a new proposal that is expected to include performance-related bonuses.

“Inter Milan are preparing to step up their pursuit of Lookman and are ready to increase their bid to just €50m, including bonuses, surpassing their previous €45m valuation,” La Gazzetta dello Sport reported.

Inter have also reportedly reached a verbal personal agreement with Lookman and are confident of bringing him to San Siro this summer, pending a final breakthrough in negotiations with Atalanta.

“Senior Inter officials have decided to wait up to ten more days in hopes of signing the Nigerian international, who has so far turned down every other offer, standing firm on his agreement with Inter.

“The deal is expected to be worth €4.5m net per season until 2030,” La Gazzetta dello Sport added.

However, Inter now face competition from the Premier League, with TEAMtalk reporting that Tottenham Hotspur have identified Lookman as a viable alternative to Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, who remains their first-choice replacement for departing captain Son Heung-min.

With Son set to join Major League Soccer side Los Angeles FC, new head coach Thomas Frank is overseeing a major reshuffle in Spurs’ attacking department.

Although Tottenham have internally discussed the possibility of signing Rodrygo, the Brazilian’s price tag, believed to be over €90m, and the difficulty of luring him away from the Bernabéu have prompted the north London club to assess other options.

“An alternative to Rodrygo on Tottenham’s list is Atalanta star Ademola Lookman, who has submitted a transfer request at the Serie A club,” TEAMtalk reported.

“The 28-year-old winger has caught Tottenham’s attention. His versatility and Premier League experience from his time with Everton, Leicester, and Fulham make him a strong contender to replace Son.”

It was reported that Lookman has submitted a transfer request at Atalanta and unfollowed the club on Instagram, paving the way for a summer departure.

Lookman, who scored a hat-trick in the 2023/24 Europa League final and registered 20 goals across all competitions in 2024/25, has impressed Spurs’ recruitment team with his pace, directness, and Premier League experience from previous spells at Everton, Leicester and Fulham.

While Inter have long been considered frontrunners, Spurs’ late interest could complicate matters, especially given their financial capability and the player’s familiarity with English football.

Atalanta are holding firm on their €50m valuation and ideally want a total package that can potentially rise to €55m, including add-ons.

Tottenham are also believed to be targeting a new number nine to provide competition for Dominik Solanke and remain in talks to sign Southampton’s Tyler Dibling, although Everton are reportedly pushing hard to secure that deal.