Since arriving at the Bergamo side in 2022, the London-born Nigerian international has been outstanding, recording 53 goals and 25 assists in 127 games for the Serie A team – including scoring a hat-trick in their Europa League final win over Bayer Leverkusen in 2024. ..Continue Reading
In December last year, the 28-year-old earned the title of African Footballer of the Year and began drawing attention from multiple Premier League sides.
In August, he submitted an official request to leave, stating it was “the right time” to “move on and experience a new adventure”.
Lookman also alleged that the club reneged on a prior understanding to allow his departure and instead accused them of “blocking the opportunity”.
As a result, the attacker stayed with Atalanta.
But during the team’s 1-0 Champions League group stage win away to Marseille on Wednesday, Lookman and head coach Ivan Juric nearly clashed physically and had to be pulled apart by staff after the player was substituted for Yunus Musah in the 75th minute.
Juric and Lookman exchanged intense words following the change, and the coach appeared to place a hand on the player’s shoulder, which was not well received. Since then, fans online have voiced that the forward should exit the club in January.
One commented: “The penalty issue and now being disrespected by a manager who hasn’t won anything in his career, who has relegated Southampton and almost relegated Roma last season. Lookman is at a new low; someone needs to check on him.”
Another remarked: “A player who single-handedly gave them a European trophy cannot be treated with respect.”
A third observed: “He’s body language from the first minute screams I want to be out of here. I watched this game. He does not want to be there.”
Following the win at the Stade Velodrome, Juric addressed the incident between him and Lookman.
Speaking to Sky Italia, he said: “The players aren’t happy to come off, there’s some reaction but then it ends there … We all know how these situations are, they happen, in the heat of the moment you exaggerate a bit but what matters is Atalanta and the fans and the good of the team, you have to behave well, then I understand, it’s not a problem, then everything passes, the important thing is to win the next match.”
Atalanta will resume their Serie A campaign at home against Sassuolo on Sunday.
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