While Tottenham find themselves right in the middle of a desperate fight for Premier League survival, a ghost from the January transfer window has returned to haunt them.
Ademola Lookman, the Nigerian international who has become an overnight sensation at Atletico Madrid, was reportedly offered to Spurs multiple times last month, only for the North London club to reject the chance to sign him.
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Tottenham turned down the chance to sign Ademola Lookman
Spurs were strongly linked with a move for the former Atalanta star, holding a long interest in the attacker.
And they had a chance to sign him, not once but twice, with latest being in January when they were offered the opportunity to secure his signature.
But according to The Sun, Tottenham’s hierarchy turned down the 28-year-old winger despite a “crippling” injury crisis that decimated Thomas Frank’s squad throughout January.
Lookman eventually completed a £30 million deadline-day move from Atalanta to the Spanish capital, and his impact has been nothing short of explosive.
Lookman’s immediate impact at Atletico Madrid
The Super Eagles star has already netted four goals in his first six appearances for Diego Simeone’s side.
His standout moment came just a fortnight ago, when he terrorised the Barcelona defense in a 4-0 Copa del Rey demolition.
Lookman opened his account for the club with a clinical strike and turned provider for Julián Álvarez, leaving many at the Metropolitano wondering how a player of his caliber remained available until the final hours of the window.
Club Appearances Goals Assists Atalanta BC 137 55 27 Charlton Athletic 49 12 3 Everton FC 48 4 2 Leicester City 42 8 5 Fulham FC 35 4 4 RB Leipzig 24 5 4 Atlético de Madrid 7 4 2 Everton FC U21 2 2 –
Ademola Lookman stats across various clubs via Transfermarkt
Spurs decision to snub Lookman questioned
The decision to snub Lookman appears even more baffling given that Spurs lost nine first-team players to injury in January alone.
Director of Football Johan Lange recently defended the club’s quiet window, claiming they had to remain “disciplined” to avoid signing “quick fixes.”
Lange argued that with a bloated squad set to return from injury, any new arrival had to be a “premium player for now and the future.”
Ironically, Lookman, who turned 28 in October, seemingly didn’t fit that long-term profile, yet he has outperformed almost every fit attacker currently in the Spurs squad.
Instead of the Nigerian, Spurs opted for Conor Gallagher and teenage full-back Souza, leaving many fans questioning why a proven goalscorer wasn’t prioritised during a relegation battle.
While Tottenham’s forwards have struggled for consistency, Lookman’s instant hit status in Spain suggests he was exactly the type of spark Spurs needed.
For a club currently sitting 16th in the table, the decision to ignore a player who has already humbled Barcelona may well go down as the most expensive mistake of their season.