Despite donning different club colours, Nigerian stars Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman now share more than league history—they’re both caught in eerily similar transfer sagas that speak volumes about how African players are treated in Italy.
Just as Osimhen finally shook off the drama that trailed his tumultuous exit from Napoli, reigning African Player of the Year Lookman finds himself entangled in his own transfer standoff with Atalanta.
These are players whose talent and impact are beyond question. They owe no further proof of their worth—neither to their current clubs nor prospective suitors. Yet, both have found themselves boxed into corners with limited escape routes.
In Lookman’s case, the 27-year-old has long made his desire to leave Bergamo known. Inter Milan came knocking, twice. Their initial €40m bid was turned down. They returned with €45m—still short of Atalanta’s €50m valuation. The club, while acknowledging a verbal agreement to let him go for a reasonable offer, now seems unwilling to negotiate with another Serie A rival.
According to sources close to the player, Atalanta reminded Lookman of an unwritten rule: no transfers to direct domestic competitors—echoing a similar clause that shadowed Osimhen’s move.
Osimhen, now 26, eventually departed for Galatasaray in a €75m deal. However, a condition in his release prevents him from joining any other Italian club for at least two years—a final twist in a bitter divorce from Napoli.
Serie A has long been known for recycling talent within its ranks—coaches and players alike. Legends like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Clarence Seedorf, Hernán Crespo, and Mario Balotelli have all crossed rival lines between Inter, AC Milan, and beyond. But in the case of Osimhen and Lookman, a pattern of exclusion seems to be emerging.
For many Nigerian fans, this feels less like business and more like bias.
“First it was Victor, now it’s Lookman. Both CAF African Players of the Year, both deserving of respect,” said football analyst Praiz Emeka. “This is sad and raises serious questions about how Italian clubs treat African players.”
“There’s no crime in wanting to grow as a player,” added Nyong Bassey. “They did the same thing to Osimhen. I don’t know what the issue is with African talent in that league.”
Those concerns aren’t unfounded. Former Super Eagles defender Taribo West once recounted being pushed out of AC Milan for playing ahead of Italian captain Paolo Maldini.
“I played four of the last five games in Maldini’s position,” West said. “When I approached the Inter Milan president about returning, he asked, ‘Why did you play in Maldini’s spot?’ I told him I just followed the coach’s instructions. He said, ‘In Italy, you don’t do that. That’s our national team captain—you’re asking for trouble.’”
Oddly enough, both Lookman and Osimhen’s issues began the same way: with a missed penalty after a stellar season.
Osimhen had just delivered Napoli’s first Serie A title in 33 years, netting 26 goals in the 2022/23 season. Though his market value soared to €120m and he signed a fresh contract, Napoli blocked every potential move, including big-money offers from Saudi Arabia. When Chelsea came with a low-ball salary offer, Osimhen chose to stay put—even if it meant warming the bench.
In September 2023, the relationship imploded after Napoli’s social media account mocked Osimhen’s missed penalty against Bologna. From then on, the breakdown was irreversible. He eventually moved to Galatasaray on loan, where he scored 37 goals and provided eight assists in all competitions. Still, the Premier League interest failed to materialise into concrete bids.
Lookman’s case mirrors that trajectory. In February 2024, Atalanta suffered a 3-1 home loss to Club Brugge in the Champions League play-off, sealing a 5-2 aggregate defeat. Lookman came off the bench to score—but later missed a penalty.
Coach Gian Piero Gasperini’s post-match comment was damning: “He’s one of the worst penalty takers I’ve ever seen.”
That remark lit a fire under Lookman, who has since pushed for a move. Even after Gasperini’s departure, the Nigerian remains resolute—most recently skipping training to force the club’s hand.
Now, with both players effectively exiled from Italy—despite their exploits—questions loom large: is this about business, rivalry… or something deeper?
