Jonathan Rowe has taken the number 11 shirt at Atalanta. This jersey was worn by Super Eagles star Ademola Lookman before he moved to Atletico Madrid earlier this year.
The English forward made a club-record transfer to the Serie A team from Bologna this week. The deal is worth €40m. This includes a loan fee, an obligation to buy, and add-ons. This makes him the most expensive signing in Atalanta’s history, surpassing El Bilal Toure and Gianluca Scamacca.
Rowe is 23 years old. He was born in London to Jamaican parents. He started at AFC Wembley and Norwich City academies. He made his senior debut for Norwich when he was just 17.
In 2023, he joined Marseille, then Bologna in 2025. He also helped England win the Under-21 European Championship in 2025.
After his move, Rowe said he liked the family-run culture at Atalanta. President Antonio Percassi and chief executive Luca Percassi were there for his unveiling.
“Atalanta is very tied to family values, and this reflects my own principles in life,” Rowe said. He called Atalanta one of the top clubs in Italy during his first visit to the Zingonia training ground.
The number 11 shirt has a lot of meaning at Atalanta. Lookman wore it during his time at the club. He scored a hat-trick in the 2024 Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen. This performance helped him win the CAF African Player of The Year award and led to his move to Atletico Madrid in January.
Lookman has now taken the same number 11 shirt at Atletico Madrid. He initially wore number 22, but switched after Thiago Almada left for River Plate.
The 28-year-old scored nine goals and made four assists in 24 matches across all competitions in his first half-season in Spain.
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