Atalanta boss Ivan Juric has confirmed Ademola Lookman will be back in the squad for Sunday’s Serie A clash against Torino, though some fans have branded the Nigerian forward ‘ungrateful’ following his return.
Juric acknowledged that Lookman is not yet in peak condition but assured he will be available for selection against his former club.
“He’s spoken with me, the team and my staff. He was welcomed back, and from tomorrow, he’ll be available,” Juric said in his pre-match press conference. “He’s not at his best yet, since he trained alone for a while, but he impressed in Friday’s session.”
Lookman has not featured for Atalanta since the end of last season, after handing in a transfer request when a €45m bid from Inter Milan was rejected. The African Player of the Year publicly criticised the club on Instagram and left for the UK to train alone while pushing for a move, which never materialised.
With Atalanta short on attacking options due to injuries to Charles De Ketelaere and Gianluca Scamacca, Lookman is now set for a comeback. Still, his return has sparked anger among sections of the fanbase, with a banner in Bergamo reading: “No. 11 reintegrated, but for us, you remain ungrateful.”
Since joining Atalanta, the 27-year-old has contributed 52 goals and 25 assists in 112 appearances, cementing himself as a key figure in their attack.
