Ademola Lookman Celtic transfer near miss as Brendan Rodgers details attempt for Atalanta Europa League hero

Just over a decade on from playing in the Sunday Leagues, Ademola Lookman banged in a Europa League-winning hat-trick in the final.

He could have been starring for Celtic if Brendan Rodgers had his way. The English winger, 26, was the difference maker as Atalanta stunned Xabi Alonso's previously infallible Bayer Leverkusen in last night's final, scoring all of the goals in a 3-0 win. It was a stunning performance from a player who finally seems to have found a home after bouncing around several clubs.

It was Charlton Athletic who plucked him from non-league Waterloo and his goals and assists in the Championship and League One persuaded Everton to take a chance on him. A loan at RB Leipzig followed and was then made permanent but it wasn't long until Lookman was back in the Premier League with loans at Fulham and Leicester.

It was Rodgers who signed him for the latter and it was upon securing his services that he revealed he had previously tried to get him during his first spell at the Hoops. The Northern Irishman had been tracking the player since he was 15 and attempted to prise him from Charlton before that big Toffees move.

At the time, Rodgers said: "I wanted to take him to Celtic when he was at Charlton. I was aware of him when he was 15/16. He has great dribbling ability, physically he’s good, works so hard, has an eye for a goal.

"My hope is that he can flourish here. He can play in a number of positions, he can play in behind the strikers or on the right."