Prominent Italian intermediary George Gardi has provided clarity on the sequence of events that prevented Ademola Lookman from linking up with his compatriot Victor Osimhen in Istanbul. Throughout the previous two transfer cycles, Galatasaray had identified the Atalanta star as a primary target, harboring ambitions of pairing the two Nigerian internationals in a formidable attacking duo. The prospect of the move was so tangible that Osimhen himself confirmed he had been actively lobbying his Super Eagles teammate to make the switch to the Rams Park.
Despite the intense interest from the Turkish Süper Lig giants, the deal never reached fruition, and Lookman ultimately completed a high-profile move to Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid during the January window. Gardi, a seasoned negotiator with a deep history of facilitating major acquisitions for Galatasaray, disclosed that the initial opportunity to secure Lookman arose following the collapse of the winger’s projected transfer to Inter Milan. According to the agent, the intention was to replicate the creative financial structure used for Osimhen—a temporary loan arrangement bolstered by a future purchase clause.
“Especially with top-level players, sometimes transfers don’t fall through. There are endless variables. Last summer, after his [Ademola Lookman’s] deal with Inter fell through, I tried for Lookman; I wanted to emulate the Osimhen operation. A loan with a purchase option. But his club didn’t want to let him go. I tried again in January, but this time the demands from the Bergamo club were too high.”
The resistance from Bergamo proved to be the decisive factor in the summer, as Atalanta’s hierarchy remained steadfast in their refusal to sanctioned a departure under the proposed terms. As the winter window approached, Gardi and the Istanbul club revisited the negotiation table, only to find that the price tag set by the Italian side had escalated beyond their valuation. This financial barrier effectively ended Galatasaray’s pursuit, clearing the path for the Spanish giants to finalize a permanent deal for the reigning Europa League final hero.
Lookman’s transition to La Liga marks the end of a long-running saga that teased Turkish football fans with the possibility of an all-Nigerian strike force. While the “Osimhen formula” was successfully applied to bring the former Napoli man to Turkey, the “endless variables” cited by Gardi ensured that Lookman’s career path led to Madrid instead of the Bosporus. For Galatasaray, the failure to secure the 28-year-old remains a significant “what if” in a season defined by ambitious recruitment and high-stakes maneuvering in the continental market.
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