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AFCON 2025
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Nigerian players in the Serie A have suffered a mixed bag; from the highest of the highs, to the lowest of the lows, giving the future generation reason to be wary
Nigerian forwards Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen have both excelled in Serie A, yet their careers have been shaped more by clubs looking to take advantage of them than by their lofty achievements.
Atalanta’s handling of Lookman and Napoli’s treatment of Osimhen reveal patterns that future Nigerian players and their representatives should carefully consider before committing to Italian clubs.
From hero to overlooked: Lookman’s experience under Atalanta
Ademola Lookman joined Atalanta in 2022 and quickly became a key player. He scored a hat-trick in the 2024 Europa League final and earned African Footballer of the Year honours. Despite such achievements, manager Gian Piero Gasperini described his penalty miss in a Champions League match as evidence that Lookman was “one of the worst penalty takers I have ever seen.”
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That comment struck Lookman as disrespectful; he stressed that he took the penalty on instruction from the designated taker and reminded fans of his prior flawless record from the spot.
Despite his value to the team and Gasperini’s exit, Lookman has expressed a clear intention to leave this summer, with Atalanta valuing him at €50 million.
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Inter Milan submitted a formal offer of €42 million plus €3 million in add‑ons, and Lookman himself reportedly reiterated to club officials that he wants to finalise a transfer before the new season; however, Atalanta rejected the bid, insisting on a firm €50 million price tag.
CEO Luca Percassi emphasised that although Lookman has sought an exit for some time, Atalanta strategically allows one major sale per year, meaning that after the sale of Matteo Retegui, La Dea could double down on Lookman, despite the Super Eagles star wanting to leave.
Osimhen’s similar ordeal at Napoli
A similar situation could be seen in the case of Victor Osimhen, who joined Napoli in 2020 and became Serie A’s top scoring African player while helping the club win their first Scudetto in over thirty years.
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Yet his rise spiralled into a saga of conflict. In late summer 2024, Napoli reportedly blocked a transfer to Chelsea, Arsenal, PSG or Al-Ahli by insisting on a steep valuation and payment terms, leading to Conte calling the squad blocked.
The breakdown of a proposed move to Saudi Arabia infuriated Osimhen, prompting accusations of mismanagement and a freezing out of the squad when deadlines passed.
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Even after Osimhen managed to pick up the pieces of his career while on loan at Galatasaray, Napoli did all they could to frustrate the Nigerian striker’s return to Turkey in a permanent deal, with new clauses springing up at every stage of negotiations.
Legendary agent Antonio Caliendo called the entire affair a mishandled embarrassment, likening the striker to a “discarded shoe” and lamenting that he was never properly marketed to elite teams.
Plight of Nigerians in Serie A
Both Lookman and Osimhen earned continental recognition, both earning African Footballer of the Year honours in back-to-back years.
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Yet both have been publicly undermined. Lookman faced sharp rebuke during critical moments, sometimes in front of his own fanbase.
Osimhen was sidelined, stripped of his shirt number, excluded from the squad, and subjected to humiliating mockery by the club itself.
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To add injury to insult, the newly minted Galatasaray striker’s career was nearly stalled not by lack of talent but by contractual mistreatment.
In both cases, their desire to move on was portrayed by clubs as disloyalty, even though their commitment remained evident through consistent performance.
Osimhen and Lookman serve as a warning to Nigerian talents
Serie A offers great competition, but it clearly comes with risks. Atalanta made Lookman one of the continent’s prime talents and then placed him under undue criticism when things faltered, while Napoli elevated Osimhen to legendary status before cutting ties in public and private.
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It has now become clear that Nigerian players must beware that performance alone may not guarantee respect or stability in Italy.
Agents and advisers should insist on protections, playing-time clauses, clear communication protocols, and personal dignity guarantees, lest the next superstar find himself abandoned despite world-class form.
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Nigerians considering Serie A should admire the platform but reject blind acceptance of its pitfalls.
Clubs may promise growth, but they can also deliver token loyalty and public frustration, often at precisely the moment when trust is needed most.