And now it's Lookman's turn: Inter are waiting for the striker to break away from Atalanta.

All the cards are on the table, and for now, they're all face up. Inter's offer for Ademola Lookman is €40 million, Atalanta's request is €50 million, and the Nigerian's will is there, as he keeps repeating it to everyone he meets: either Inter or Inter. But that's not enough, at least not yet, because Lookman now holds the cards, and Inter expects him to make a decisive move in the next few hours: the club and the player are in agreement on everything; the draft of a five-year contract worth €4.5 million net per season (rising to €5 million) is more than an agreement, it's a solid pact that allows Inter to sit back and watch the action unfold. Now that the pitch is free from interference—Ademola has already rejected a more lucrative offer from Napoli and isn't seen abroad, for example, wearing an Atletico Madrid jersey—it's up to him to take the initiative and try to force Atalanta's hand. How?

Certainly not in the same way as last year, when the Nigerian decided not to train for a few days while PSG came knocking at his door. That option isn't available today, because Lookman is currently sidelined due to the calf problem he sustained during the first few days of training in Zingonia, which will keep him off the pitch for about ten days. And because Atalanta is no stranger to similar battles of nerves: they've already experienced (and won) them with Lookman himself and Koopmeiners last summer. Currently, the weather forecast for Bergamo is clear-variable. Clear, because Ademola appears to have opted for a "soft" approach in his daily life: he's undergoing treatment in Zingonia and yesterday, along with the rest of the squad and coach Ivan Juric, he was regularly present at the meeting with former referee Messina, who explained to the Nerazzurri the regulatory changes introduced by UEFA for the 2025-26 season. Variable, because the prospect of a split is always on the horizon, especially if Lookman's requests to leave the Nerazzurri in Bergamo and join the Nerazzurri in Milan fall on deaf ears. That's why it's not a stretch of the imagination to imagine that by the end of the month, perhaps even this weekend, Lookman will change his pace as he does on the pitch, when he receives the ball on the turf of his beloved left flank.

In such a scenario, waiting is strategic for everyone, including the clubs, of course: Atalanta is buying time for potential calls from Spain, while Marotta and Ausilio are letting the first offer they received to the Percassi club sit idly by, waiting to make a further offer at the right time. The meeting between the directors the other day served to clarify positions and bring the two sides closer after the initial exchange. The Nigerian's pressure could pave the way for a new approach to seal the deal. Moreover, Inter Milan have just experienced a somewhat similar situation with the Calhanoglu case: if the Turk had truly expressed his intention to leave, bringing with him an offer not far removed from the valuation made on Viale della Liberazione, the club would have been open to negotiations. In Lookman's case, we're already beyond that point, and while Inter are preparing to adjust the fixed fee by €2-3 million, the feeling is that Atalanta could be open to a discount on the now-familiar €50 million, as long as the final sum doesn't stray too far from the Bergamo club's asking price. And what if the bonuses ultimately prove the deciding factor?