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“Leicester Fans Furious After Ademola Lookman Wins African Player of the Year – Here’s Why……
Ademola Lookman has flourished since his loan move to Leicester City during the 2021/22 season.
Lookman made headlines by scoring a hat-trick to secure Atalanta’s Europa League victory, ending Bayer Leverkusen’s unbeaten streak. The 27-year-old’s stellar performance, which included 17 goals and 10 assists across all competitions last season, contributed to his growing reputation.
His impressive form earned him a nomination for the prestigious Ballon d’Or, alongside global stars like Manchester City’s Rodri and Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé.
Lookman’s rise to prominence is a far cry from his time at Leicester, where his transformation has left many wishing they had managed to secure him permanently.
Why Leicester City Didn’t Sign Ademola Lookman Permanently
Leicester brought Lookman on loan in the summer of 2021 to bolster their attack as they aimed to qualify for European competitions. The quick-footed forward netted six goals in 26 Premier League appearances, prompting manager Brendan Rodgers to express interest in signing him permanently for £14 million.
However, Leicester was unable to make the move permanent due to financial constraints that prevented them from signing any players at the end of the 2021/22 season, as Rodgers explained.
“The only sad part for us at Leicester was that, at the end of that season, we could have bought him for £14 million, but looking back at that summer, we couldn’t sign anyone,” Rodgers said. “One of my close colleagues at Celtic and Leicester, Lee Congerton, had become the general manager at Atalanta by then.”
Leicester Fans React as Lookman Wins African Player of the Year
Lookman’s value has skyrocketed since his loan at Leicester, earning him recognition on the European stage. After his Ballon d’Or nomination, the Nigerian international, with 23 caps, was recently named African Player of the Year—an accolade previously won by legends such as Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, Yaya Touré, and Mohamed Salah. Lookman triumphed over Salah and several other top players to claim the title.
Leicester fans expressed frustration on X (formerly Twitter) over the missed opportunity to sign Lookman for just £15 million, especially given their spending on other players.
“Context… we spent £25 million on Skipp but couldn’t afford £15 million for Lookman,” one supporter commented.
“What could’ve been, man. I’ll never get over this one—NEVER,” another fan lamented.
“It pains me that we couldn’t sign him due to FFP. This again highlights poor recent financial management at the club,” a third fan pointed out.
Another added, “Yunus Akgün, another Lookman? We spent £25 million on Skipp when we were already stacked in that area, but we could’ve had Yunus for £7-10 million, where we’re lacking. He’s doing wonders this season too.”
