‘Everything went very well’ - Fenerbahçe president explains how Lookman’s deal collapsed

Lookman had signalled his desire to depart Atalanta last summer, but the Serie A club resisted multiple offers for the 28-year-old attacker. 

This left the 2024 CAF Player of the Year unsettled in Bergamo during the first half of the season.

Fenerbahçe went on to table a €35 million bid for the Europa League winner during the January window. However, the deal hit a snag when Atalanta requested a letter of guarantee concerning the payment structure.

In an interview with Fenerbahçe TV, Saran detailed how negotiations, which had initially been promising, ultimately broke down. 

He explained that the player had even held several conversations with the club's manager and was keen on the move.

"On December 19th, as soon as my foreign ban was lifted, I went to Milan for Lookman and met his manager," Saran stated, according to STAR. 

"Everything went very well. Then we spoke with Atalanta officials and things were positive, but later they asked for a letter of guarantee because they said Turkish clubs sometimes struggle with payments."

Saran confirmed that Fenerbahçe refused to provide the guarantee, insisting on their solid financial standing.

"We told them we owe no one and that we would pay everything," he added. "Lookman spoke with our coach two or three times and he wanted to come."

As the talks stalled, Atlético Madrid swooped in and swiftly secured an agreement for the highly rated forward.

"Atalanta came again, asking for the guarantee. They didn’t want to give the transfer to us—they preferred Atlético Madrid. That’s how the process ended," Saran concluded.

Since joining the Spanish giants, Lookman has continued his excellent form under manager Diego Simeone, scoring four goals and providing two assists in his first 11 appearances at the Wanda Metropolitano.