Inter offer sparks Atalanta plan involving Liverpool forward | OneFootball

Atalanta Plot Chiesa Move as Lookman Exit Drags On

Lookman sale key to unlocking transfer

Atalanta’s summer business now revolves around one equation. They want to sign Federico Chiesa, but first, they must sell Ademola Lookman. It is a transfer chain held together by €50 million and a fair amount of Serie A posturing. According to Football Italia.

Photo: IMAGO

Inter have already made their move, tabling €40 million, but Atalanta remain unmoved. Their valuation, unwavering at €50 million, reflects Lookman’s rise, his Ballon d’Or nomination, and his significance to the system.

“Inter are the only Serie A club in the running for the latest African Ballon d’Or winner,” the report reads, although Napoli’s absence leaves Inter with a free run, for now.

Photo: IMAGO

Chiesa emerges from the shadows

Chiesa, meanwhile, waits. His omission from Liverpool’s East Asia tour spoke volumes. So did his muted contribution last season, just two goals and two assists in 14 appearances across all competitions. No public declarations, no cryptic social media posts. Just the quiet realisation that Liverpool may be ready to move on.

Photo: IMAGO

“Atalanta have identified Liverpool winger Chiesa as a potential replacement,” the report notes. They are ready, pending the domino effect that Inter could trigger. Chiesa’s technical profile fits Ivan Juric’s blueprint. Direct, sharp, with just enough chaos to unsettle rigid Italian defences.

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This feels inevitable. The moment Liverpool left Chiesa out of the pre-season squad, it felt like the writing was on the wall. No injuries, no justifications, just exclusion. For a club often meticulous with their squad messaging, it says everything.

It’s a shame we never got to see the full Chiesa. There were flashes. an incisive run here, a curled shot there but never the sustained spell that allowed his talent to bloom. Whether it was adaptation, fitness or tactics, something never quite clicked.

And yet, if Atalanta are truly circling, it might be the best move for all parties. For Chiesa, a chance to restart in a system built around verticality and chaos. For Liverpool, space opens up in a crowded attacking unit. And if Atalanta pay up, there’s even a financial upside.

Still, a part of you wonders what could’ve been. One more pre-season, one more tactical tweak, and maybe he explodes. But football rarely waits for maybes.