Jonathan Rowe has been handed the number 11 shirt at Atalanta — the jersey previously worn by Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman before his move to Atletico Madrid earlier this year.
The English forward completed a club-record move to the Serie A side from Bologna this week, in a deal worth €40m including a loan fee, an obligation to buy and add-ons, making him the most expensive signing in Atalanta’s history, ahead of El Bilal Toure and Gianluca Scamacca.
Rowe, 23, was born in London to Jamaican parents and came through the AFC Wembley and Norwich City academies before making his senior debut for Norwich at 17.
He went on to join Marseille in 2023 and Bologna in 2025, and was part of England’s title-winning squad at the 2025 Under-21 European Championship.
Speaking after completing his move, Rowe said he was drawn to Atalanta’s family-run culture, with club president Antonio Percassi and chief executive Luca Percassi both present for his unveiling.
“Atalanta is very tied to family values, and this reflects my own principles in life,” Rowe said, describing Atalanta as one of the top clubs in Italy during his first visit to the club’s Zingonia training ground.
The number Rowe has chosen carries significant weight at Atalanta, having been worn by Lookman throughout his time at the club — including during his hat-trick in the 2024 Europa League final victory over Bayer Leverkusen, a performance that helped earn him the CAF African Player of the Year award and paved the way for his subsequent move to Atletico Madrid in January.
Lookman has since taken up the same number 11 shirt at Atletico Madrid, having initially worn number 22 following his arrival, with the switch coming after Argentina international Thiago Almada’s departure to River Plate.
The 28-year-old scored nine goals and provided four assists in 24 appearances across all competitions during his first half-season in Spain.
