Ademola Lookman could return to Inter Milan if the club sells key players, according to Italian transfer expert Paolo Paganini. The Super Eagles forward was previously close to joining Inter during the 2025 summer window, with personal terms agreed, but the deal collapsed due to Atalanta's high valuation. Paganini, speaking to Mundodeportivo, stated, "If Inter lets Thuram go and makes a profit from the sale of Bastoni, they can bring back Ademola Lookman. I wouldn't be surprised if they tried again." He added that Thuram's agent is currently in Germany and England, signaling a likely departure.
Inter had explored a player-plus-cash offer involving Kristjan Asllani to secure Lookman's transfer in 2025, but Atalanta rejected the proposals. Since then, Lookman completed a permanent move to Atlético Madrid in the winter transfer window. Paganini noted that any renewed interest from Inter would depend on the movement of their attacking personnel and financial gains from outgoing deals. The Nerazzurri's potential recalibration of their forward line opens the door for a second attempt at signing the Nigeria international. No formal approach has been made, but the scenario remains active in transfer speculation.
When Paganini links Lookman's return to Thuram's exit and Bastoni's sale, it reveals Inter's strategy: fund new attacks by cashing in on existing assets. That Lookman remains a named option after the failed 2025 bid shows he still fits their tactical profile. For a player once deemed worth a complex swap deal, his potential re-emergence at Inter suggests they never fully moved on.
