Atlético Madrid announced on 2 February 2026 that Ademola Lookman had signed a contract with Atalanta until 30 June 2030. Goal Italy put the fee at €35 million plus up to €5 million in add-ons. Salary? nothing.
Silence is a problem. This explains why carer payback figures vary by more than twofold from shop to shop and from week to week.
| At a glance | Detail |
|---|---|
| Club | Atlético Madrid, Atalanta, February 2 |
| End of contract | 30 June 2030 (club statement, via Goal Italy) |
| Payment | €35 million plus add-ons up to €5 million |
| Calculated wages | €6m – €12.5m a year total, by way of exit |
| net worth | There is no reliable published figure |
| Honorary | CAF Men’s Player of the Year 2024; 14th in Ballon d’Or in 2024 |
What the club said and didn’t say
Atlético does not publish any salary documents for the player, and a February 2 Goal Italia report said Lookman’s salary was undisclosed, with Fenerbahce offering a higher salary for both clubs, without giving a figure.
So, everything below is press releases.
Four salary figures, one wide gap
The lowest numbers came first, and they came quickly. Football Italia, who published La Repubblica on February 1, put his salary at €7 million a season over four years. Bolavip quoted Mundo Deportivo as saying on February 3 that he will earn €6 million a year, or €500,000 a month, and that El Plural will earn €6 million on February 4, without naming any sources.
Higher numbers sit at the other end of the scale. Salaryleaks tracker lists 12.5 million base with bonus up to 2 million. On February 2, the journalist gives credit to Nicolo Schira, but his verification column is empty. Afrik-Foot, on August 19, carried out Capology’s 2026-27 estimates: €12.5 million fixed and €3.13 million in possible bonuses.
In that table, he is in second place. Julian à lvarez and Cristian Romero match it and only Jan Oblak, €20.83 million, earns more.
Capology models his numbers, so it’s not a leak, it’s a guess. A model. Reports of €6 million and €7 million came from newspapers in the early days when details were still emerging, and two of them did not say where the figure came from. We wouldn’t pick one.
Keep the distance.
Naira first. According to Legit.ng as of October 30, the CBN’s NFEM closing rate for October 29, 2026 was ‚¦1,500.34 to the euro and ‚¦1,346.91 to the dollar. At this rate, €6 million is about ‚¦9.0 billion, €7 million is about ‚¦10.5 billion and €12.5 million is about ‚¦75 billion. It’s all rough. This includes Spanish tax and agents.
Net worth: A number we won’t print
None of them. No one trustworthy has posted this. A 2026 Nigerian profile suggests between $10 million and $15 million, but does not name a method or source, and the salary line is also unsourced. Wealth depends on tax bills, property, image deals, and savings that no outlet sees, and a salary estimate, no matter how carefully constructed, cannot match any of these.
About his personal life, we only say what Lookman has revealed: he was born in Wandsworth, London, to Nigerian parents.
The jersey, the Ballon d’Or and the Eagles
His status is until 2024. He finished 14th in the Ballon d’Or on 28 October, then was named the CAF Men’s Player of the Year in Morocco on 16 December, his seventh Nigerian win and second in a row behind Victor Osimhen. “Difficult moments gave me that extra strength,” CAF said. Our five reasons for Lookman’s win, argued ahead of the vote.
Madrid was slower. Not a slump, but slower. Soccernet.ng tallied one goal in seven games up to October 1. Then came “Manchester United”. According to Vanguard, he scored a rebound in the 79th minute in a 2–0 Champions League win on October 13.
A week later, he came on at halftime in Stuttgart and scored Alvarez’s equalizer in a 1–1 draw. Naijanews quoted Transfermarkt as naming it his 50th big club assist. “He’s deadly in the box. So, yeah, I knew he was going to score,” he said. There’s more in our Stuttgart aid report.
On October 29, the Spanish “Fichajes” website wrote that “Atletico” will hear offers above 40 million euros and that “Juventus” is watching. He did not name any sources and neither club would comment.
Treat it as a conversation.
The picture for Nigeria is mixed and it starts with a miss. Nigeria will not be in North America. The Super Eagles missed out on the 2026 World Cup after losing to DR Congo in the CAF play-off final. In the 2027 AFCON qualifiers, Lookman started in a 2–1 win over Madagascar in Uyo on 25 September. Four days later, he also started in a 3-0 defeat in Guinea-Bissau. Eric Chelle then left him out of the October 6 friendly against Russia, a decision Pulse Sports described as a rest for his overworked stars, with Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar still chasing the remaining spot.
Our vision
Objectives justify salary. Whether it’s €6 million or €12.5 million, Alvarez is paid as a first-choice striker at a club that also includes Jonathan David and Alexander Sørlot.
For fans at home, our guide to the highest paid players in the Nigerian league shows just how far the scale is from Madrid. Lookman’s biography covers the years before Atlético.
It’s that simple. Until Atlético, Lookman or his representatives publish a figure, the honest answer to the salary is a range and no one knows the net worth.
This article was last revised and updated 9 seconds ago