Atlético prepares a major sale in January

The Atlético de Madrid may consider the departure of Ademola Lookman, a 29-year-old Nigerian forward, during the January transfer window, after Diego Pablo Simeone left him on the bench without participating in the 1-2 defeat against Barcelona on November 8. His loss of prominence raises questions about his future.

El Cholo Simeone reduces Lookman's prominence at Atlético de Madrid

The benching against the Barcelona is a significant data point in Lookman's situation. The attacker did not play a single minute at the Metropolitano, in a match that ended in a 1-2 loss for the red and whites, where Simeone sought offensive solutions without resorting to the Nigerian.

His participation during the season also invites close monitoring of his development. According to the statistics published by Atlético, Lookman has accumulated 7 matches, 460 minutes, and 1 goal in the 2026-2027 season. Of those matches, he was a starter in 2 and came on as a substitute in 5, a record that reflects a secondary role in the rotation.

This data contrasts with the investment made by the club to acquire him. Atlético sealed his transfer from Atalanta in February 2026, with a cost of 35 million euros fixed plus 5 million in variables, according to information published during that operation.

The situation does not alone demonstrate that Simeone has lost confidence in the player. However, if Lookman continues to lack starts and minutes, Mateu Alemany will have to evaluate what role he occupies within the sports planning and what alternatives exist to optimize the squad.

Lookman was an unused sub yesterday and I’m not happy with how his career at Atletico is going. Firstly, Simeone made him play as a striker when the season started, due to the issues with Alvarez, Sorloth was also injured. That’s not his position and Lookman underperformed. Simeone even apologised to Lookman in one of his press conference. This affected Lookman’s momentum and translated into a bad run of form. He has only started 2 games in like 2 months. In those 2 games, he was subbed at half time too. I really hope Lookman gets his form back. I was so sad he didn’t even feature yesterday. He should keep his head up and work harder. https://t.co/5vczP84hlI

— TobyWrites (@tobyasky) November 9, 2026

Mateu Alemany must evaluate Lookman's future before January

Lookman's contract with Atlético extends until June 30, 2030, so the club does not face a departure conditioned by the proximity of the end of his contract. Any decision should take into account the initial investment and the performance the player can offer in the coming months.

For Alemany, the scenario raises a planning question: to keep an attacker for whom up to 40 million euros were spent or to consider a transfer if his participation does not increase. A potential sale would also require evaluating whether the team has sufficient alternatives to cover his position.

Simeone's priority will be to recover consistency in results and find solutions for an attack that failed to avoid defeat against Barcelona. Lookman’s continuity will largely depend on his ability to earn more minutes in the coming matches.

For now, January appears as a window in which Atlético could reassess the composition of its squad, but there is no reliable information that suggests selling Lookman is a decision that has been made. The upcoming matches will be decisive in determining whether the Nigerian regains weight in Cholo Simeone's plans or if his situation leads Mateu Alemany to consider alternatives for the winter market.