Calhanoglu to Lookman: Most impressive deals involving Milan-linked Congerton | OneFootball

Former Atalanta, Chelsea, Leicester City and Hamburg executive Lee Congerton is the current favourite to take over as sporting director of Milan according to reports in Italy. Here is a look at the most impressive deals the Welshman has pulled off in his career to date.

Who is Milan-linked Congerton?

Congerton is a football executive with coaching, scouting and directorship roles on his CV from a career that has lasted over 25 years.

He began as a youth team director for Wrexham before joining Liverpool in a coaching capacity under Gerard Houllier in 2002.

Congerton also spent six years with Premier League side Chelsea, initially under Jose Mourinho as head coach and Frank Arnesen as sporting director. He would later follow Arnesen to Hamburg, where he was credited with identifying the talent of current Inter star Hakan Calhanoglu.

Congerton has also worked for various other clubs across the UK, including as a sporting director for Sunderland, as chief scout for Celtic and again in the same role for Leicester City between 2019 and 2022.

The 51-year-old also has experience working in Serie A from his two years as director of football with Atalanta between 2022 and 2024. Reigning African Player of the Year Ademola Lookman is among the players he is credited with having signed in Bergamo.

He is now tipped to become the sporting director of Milan, a role which has also seen the likes of Fabio Paratici, Igli Tare and Tony D’Amico linked in recent months.

Which players has Congerton signed?

Having largely worked in scouting and directorship roles throughout his career, Congerton has been credited with identifying a number of high-profile talents, including Lookman at Atalanta, his teammate Ederson and Rasmus Hojlund, who raised well over €50m in profit for La Dea after his big-money move to Manchester United.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – MARCH 13: Rasmus Hojlund of Manchester United during the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 Round of 16 Second Leg match between Manchester United and Real Sociedad de Futbol at Old Trafford on March 13, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Lookman is a player Congerton has worked with twice previously, having also signed him on loan while employed by Leicester in 2021-22.

The Foxes finished fifth in the Premier League during Congerton’s first season in 2019-20, a season which most notably brought the €45m arrival of Youri Tielemans from AS Monaco.

Samuele Ricci and Youri Tielemans Italy-Belgium EPA-EFE/ETTORE FERRARI

Wesley Fofana, who joined Leiceted for around €35m the following season, was later sold to Chelsea for a staggering €80m fee two years later.

Congerton was working as chief scout at Celtic when the Scottish giants signed Odsonne Edouard for a €10m fee. He would go on to join Premier League side Crystal Palace for a €16m fee in the final year of his contract.

Congerton also signed current Juventus and USMNT winger Timothy Weah for Celtic on loan from Paris Saint-Germain in 2018-19.

Inter star Calhanoglu was among Congerton’s most high-profile signings with Hamburger SV in 2012-13, along with Rafael Van der Vaart from Tottenham. Jonathan Tah and Christian Norgaard were among the youth players promoted to the first-team during Congerton’s spell as technical director.

MILAN, ITALY – MAY 06: Hakan Calhanoglu of FC Internazionale (L) celebrates scoring his team’s second goal with teammate Marcus Thuram (R) during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Semi Final Second Leg match between FC Internazionale Milano and FC Barcelona at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on May 06, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

At Chelsea, Congerton was largely tasked with identifying young players from the youth ranks and prepare them for life in the first-team, including the likes of Ryan Bertrand, Daniel Sturridge and Fabio Borini.