Chelsea determined to get Lookman, MU faces big challenge
Chelsea are planning to strengthen their attack by pursuing Ademola Lookman - a star currently playing for Atalanta, for an expected fee of 55 million euros.
At the same time, Manchester United are also paying special attention to this Nigerian striker, making the race for Lookman's signature extremely attractive.
Under the guidance of coach Enzo Maresca, Chelsea are entering a crucial phase of the season as they aim to qualify for the Champions League and win the Europa Conference League title. However, the Blues' board has already outlined a plan for the summer transfer window to improve the squad, especially on the left flank - a position where Jadon Sancho has not met expectations, and is unlikely to be bought outright from Manchester United.
According to Football London, Chelsea have put Ademola Lookman on their priority shopping list. The 27-year-old star is not having a good relationship with coach Gian Piero Gasperini at Atalanta and is said to be ready to find a new destination. Lookman's excellent form this season with 18 goals and 7 assists after 37 matches has made him one of the "hot" targets on the market, not only for Chelsea but also for many other big teams.
On the Manchester United side, coach Ruben Amorim also considers Lookman an important factor in the plan to reform the attack next summer. According to sources from Teamtalk, the Red Devils are ready to negotiate to recruit Lookman, despite the price that Atalanta asks for ranging from 55 to 60 million euros.
However, Manchester United are at a huge financial disadvantage compared to Chelsea. The Old Trafford team is forced to balance the budget by selling some players that are no longer in the plan such as Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford or Antony. If they cannot quickly liquidate these names, they may lack capital to compete with other rivals in the transfer market.
Not only Chelsea and Manchester United, a series of other big clubs such as Barcelona, Liverpool and Arsenal are also closely monitoring Lookman's situation. This signals a fierce transfer war in the coming weeks, when big teams are eager to own Atalanta's best striker.
