Nigerian forward, Ademola Lookman will be in Atalanta’s squad for Sunday’s Serie A game against Torino, head coach Ivan Juric has confirmed.
Ademola Lookman is set for his first appearance of the season, though some supporters have reacted angrily to his return.
Juric explained that Lookman is still working on his sharpness after spending several weeks training away from the club, but insisted he is now available for selection.
“He’s spoken with me, the team and my staff. He was well received, and from tomorrow, he will begin to be available to us,” Juric said on Saturday.
“He’s not in the best condition, given that he’s been training alone up until now. He did very well in training on Friday.”
Lookman has not played since the end of the 2024-2025 campaign. His summer was dominated by transfer drama after Inter Milan had a €45 million bid rejected.
The forward responded by handing in a transfer request and later launched a series of criticisms against Atalanta on Instagram. He then left Italy to continue training in the UK while holding out for a move that never materialised.
Five days before the start of the new season, Lookman returned to Bergamo. With fellow strikers Charles De Ketelaere and Gianluca Scamacca struggling for fitness, Juric may be tempted to throw him straight back into action.
Not all Atalanta fans are willing to forgive, however. A banner spotted in Bergamo this week read: “No. 11 reintegrated, but for us, you remain ungrateful.”
The discontent stems from Lookman’s refusal to train for two weeks after Inter’s bid failed to meet Atalanta’s €50 million asking price.
Despite the friction, Lookman’s record in Bergamo remains impressive. Since arriving at the club, the reigning African Player of the Year has scored 52 goals and registered 25 assists in 112 appearances, making him one of Atalanta’s most reliable attacking threats.
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