Tag: Lookman

Nigeria international striker Ademola Lookman has reportedly informed Atalanta management that he plans to leave this summer.

According to TMW (Tutto Mecarto Web)Lookman and La Dea management have a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ about leaving a decision to the player at season’s end over his future.

The striker is now set to leave, knowing he has interest from bigger clubs from across Europe with Barcelona and Newcastle United reportedly  among major clubs watching Lookman’s situation.

Aside it had also been speculated that  both Napoli and Manchester United  are likely to bid  for the  former Everton striker.

Over the weekend, GIVEMESPORT also claimed that Nottingham Forest have set their sights on attempting to win the race for Lookman after the Atalanta star has worked his way onto the radar at the City Ground as preparations are made for the summer transfer window.

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The Tricky Trees showed plenty of ambition ahead of the campaign getting underway, with Elliot Anderson proving to be the most expensive acquisition thanks to completing a £35million switch from Newcastle United, and boss Nuno Espirito Santo wants to make further adjustments to his squad as he closes in on securing Champions League qualification.

Although Jota Silva has made an impact on the flanks since joining in a deal worth an initial £5.9million from Portuguese side Vitoria de Guimaraes in August, Nottingham Forest have pinpointed Lookman as a potential standout recruit as they aim to build on a memorable campaign which could still end with FA Cup glory.

The 27-year-old Nigeria international has been described as ‘world-class’ by commentator Matteo Bonetti, as a result of his performances in Serie A, and the Tricky Trees are eyeing an opportunity to pounce even though the likes of Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi have been shining on the flanks.

Reigning Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain are not on course to enter the race for Lookman’s signature due to landing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia from Napoli during the winter transfer window, GMS sources have learned, but Nottingham Forest will still face competition for an agreement.

GMS sources have been told that Nottingham Forest could face competition from Tottenham Hotspur if they up the ante in their pursuit as the north Londoners have looked at recruiting Lookman in the past, while Aston Villa have been credited with an interest even though they are still finalising their summer plans.

The latter are prioritising a permanent deal for Marco Asensio, who is currently on loan from PSG, and they also need to decide whether to trigger a £40million option to buy Marcus Rashford from Manchester United after he has been enjoying plenty of game time under boss Unai Emery since his mid-season arrival.

Serie A heavyweights Juventus are another side who could attempt to come out on top in the battle for Lookman’s services, GMS sources understand, but Nottingham Forest want to make waves in the transfer market and have set their sights on tempting him away from Atalanta in the coming months.

Although GMS sources recently revealed that Ola Aina is open-minded about staying at the City Ground despite gaining interest from Manchester City and Chelsea, which will come as a significant boost for the Tricky Trees, they are keen to welcome fresh faces to the Midlands during the summer.

Super Eagles winger, Ademola Lookman, has emerged as one of the most sought-after forwards in Europe ahead of the summer transfer window after Juventus interest.

In  a report published by PSGTALK , the 27-year-old, currently playing for Atalanta, is now wanted by Juventus according to the renowned transfer expert. Fabrizio Romano.

 It was claimed  that the forward is open to a move following a fallout with Atalanta’s manager, Gian Piero Gasperini. 

His sensational form has attracted interest from multiple top clubs, with Arsenal, Liverpool, Newcastle United, and Tottenham Hotspur reportedly monitoring his situation. 

However, according to TEAMtalk, West Ham United are also among the Premier League sides keeping tabs on Lookman.

The heightened demand has led Atalanta to set a valuation of over £60 million for the Nigerian international.  

Meanwhile, Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo has claimed that Barcelona are considering Lookman as a potential reinforcement for their attack next season. 

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Liverpool reportedly saw Lookman as a primary target to replace Mohamed Salah should the Egyptian forward depart on a free transfer this summer.

Despite initial interest, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are no longer in the race for Lookman’s signature after securing the signing of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

This could increase the chances of Lookman making a high-profile move to either the Premier League or La Liga. 

With several top European clubs vying for his signature, Lookman’s future remains uncertain, but one thing is clear—his next move will be one of the biggest talking points of the summer transfer window.

Chrisantus Uche was not listed by Getafe in their 2-1 home loss to Villarreal yesterday in the Spanish La Liga.

The defeat snapped their two games winning streak in the Spanish La Liga against Osasuna and Atletico Madrid.

Uche received two yellow cards in quick succession in the 76^th  and 77^th  minutes with the second earning him a dismissal – his first in the Spanish topflight in their last away win at Osasuna.

He observed his compulsory one game suspension following the red card and he watched helplessly as Getafe were beaten by Villarreal that once paraded Super Eagles winger, Samuel Chukwueze.

Uche has played 27 games with three goals and three assists. He has collected seven yellow cards with a red in his debut season in the Spanish La Liga.

In Italy,  Ademola Lookman’s Atalanta suffered a 1-0 defeat at Fiorentina with the Nigerian on the pitch for 55 minutes. Atalanta are now third in the log with 58 points from 30 games.

Lookman has played 24 games with 13 goals and five assists.

Read Also: Aston Villa closing in on Rashford loan deal

In another Serie A table, Maduka Okoye kept his 17^th  league game of the season for Udinese who were beaten 2-1 at the San Siro against Inter.

In France, Gabriel Osho clocked his 19^th  game of the season for Auxerre who were 1-0 winners over Montpellier. He has a goal to his credit. Auxerre are 10th with 35 points from 27 games.

Moses Simon bagged his eighth assist of the season for Nantes who lost 3-2 at Le Havre.

Simon has seven goals from 25 games for the Yellow and Greens who are in 13th spot with 27 points from 27 games.

Newcastle United are eyeing a summer move for Nigerian international Ademola Lookman as they seek to bolster their attacking options ahead of next season, according to Football Insider.

The 27-year-old Atalanta forward has been in fine form in Italy and could be set for a return to the Premier League.

Lookman has built an impressive career across multiple European leagues, scoring 82 goals in club football.

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His current tally at Atalanta stands at 49, making him one of the most productive attackers in Serie A.

Before moving to Italy, Lookman had spells in England with Charlton Athletic (12 goals), Everton (4 goals), Leicester City (8 goals), and Fulham (4 goals), as well as in Germany with RB Leipzig (5 goals).

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe is reportedly keen on adding attacking reinforcements, especially with veteran striker Callum Wilson’s contract set to expire at the end of the season.

Although Lookman predominantly plays as a left winger, his versatility allows him to operate on both flanks and even as a central striker, making him a valuable asset for the Magpies.

Super Eagles winger Ademola Lookman has been named in the WhoScored Serie A Team of the Week for Gameweek 26 after his impressive performance helped Atalanta secure a convincing 5-0 win over Empoli on Sunday.

The game was largely dominated by Atalanta with Emmanuel Gyasi’s own goal in the 27^th  minute giving them an early lead. Mateo Retegui doubled the lead shortly after, before Ademola Lookman scored a brace, netting goals in the 43^rd  and 55^th  minute to increase their advantage. Davide Zappacosta sealed the win with a goal in the 74^th  minute.

Lookman’s brace brought his total goals in all competitions to 17, matching his tally from last season 16 games sooner. Lookman also received the Man of the Match award, a testament to his outstanding performance in his first start since returning from a knee injury.

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The WhoScored Serie A Team of the Week for Gameweek 26 features several Atalanta players, thanks to their convincing win, however, Ademola Lookman was the highest-rated player (9.43).

The team includes Vanja Milinkovic-Savic (Torino) as goalkeeper, with Raoul Bellanova (Atalanta), Stefan Posch (Atalanta), Berat Djimsiti (Atalanta), and Angelino (Roma) forming the backline.

The midfield trio consists of Bryan Christante (Roma), Matias Soulé, and Ademola Lookman while the attack features Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan), Mateo Retegui (Atalanta), and Eldor Shomurodov (Roma).

Atalanta’s dominant win was crucial as it propelled them to within three points of league leaders Inter Milan, putting them firmly in the title race with 12 games remaining.

Ademola Lookman and Atalanta will aim to maintain their momentum when they face Venezia on Saturday. A win would put pressure on Inter Milan to drop points, potentially allowing them to close the gap even further. With their title hopes still alive, Atalanta will be determined to secure another victory and stay in contention.

Former Cameroon and Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o has backed Ademola Lookman in his ongoing feud with Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini, Soccernet.ng reports.

The tension between Lookman and Gasperini escalated this week following Atalanta’s shock Champions League exit at the hands of Club Brugge.

Europa League holders Atalanta were favourites to advance to the last 16 but suffered a stunning 5-2 aggregate defeat, losing both legs to the Belgian side.

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In a post on his official Instagram page, Eto’o praised Lookman for his courage and assured him of Africa’s unwavering support.

“My younger brother, memory in football lasts 90 minutes—the time of a match and the next.

“For us, you are and will always be our champion. Only he who dares to shoot can miss. Thank you for your courage, great champion.”

Lookman has received widespread support in the fallout, with Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero and former Nigeria international Duke Udi both criticizing Gasperini’s harsh remarks.

Super Eagles  star Ademola Lookman has taken a swipe at coach Gian Piero Gasperini   after the Atalanta head coach branded the forward ‘one of the worst penalty takers I’ve ever seen’ following the club’s elimination  from the  UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night.

Atalanta needed to overturn a 2-1 defeat to Club Brugge in the second leg of their UCL play-off   but lost  3-1 at home to the Belgian side.

Atalanta were eventually booted out by Brugge 5-2 on aggregate despite Lookman’s effort including scoring a goal immediately after he came on as a substitute  but later  missed  a spot kick.

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Gasperini  then  singled out Lookman for criticism over his decision to take the penalty.

 “Lookman was not supposed to take that penalty, he is one of the worst penalty takers I’ve ever seen,” said Gasperini. “He has a frankly terrible record even in training, he converts very few of them. Retegui and De Ketelaere were there but Lookman in a moment of enthusiasm after scoring decided to take the ball and that was a gesture I did not appreciate at all.”

Reacting on his X  (formerly Twitter) account, Lookman took   exemption to such unfair  criticism as he called Gasperini  ‘deeply disrespectful’.

 “It saddens me on a day like this to have to write this statement – most of all because of what we have achieved together as a team and as a city,’ Lookman said in a statement on Wednesday.

 “Being singled out in the manner I have been not only hurts but feels deeply disrespectful, not least because of the immense hard work and commitment I have always put in each and every day to help bring success to this club and to the incredible fans of Bergamo.

 “In truth, I have dealt with many difficult moments during my time here – the majority of which I have never spoken about because in my opinion the team must always be protected and must come first. This makes what happened last night even more hurtful.

“Along with our incredible fans, we as a team are hurting too with last night’s result. During the match the designated penalty taker instructed me to take the penalty; and to support the team I took responsibility in the moment to do so.

“Life’s about challenges and turning pain into power which I’ll continue to do,” he added.

Super Eagles winger Ademola Lookman will leave Atalanta at the end of the season according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Lookman has been at the centre of attention on social media after Atalanta’s head coach, Gian Piero Gasperini, criticized him for missing a penalty in their 3-1 Champions League loss to Club Brugge on Tuesday, leading to their elimination from the competition.

In response, Lookman took to his official social media handles to express his disappointment, asserting that he felt deeply disrespected and hurt by Gasperini’s comments.

Read Also: 60th Founders’ Day Anniversary: Ogun Commissioner stresses importance of sports in youth development

Amid the controversy, Romano has confirmed on his official X handle that Atalanta will attempt to resolve the issue between Lookman and Gasperini.

He said: “Understand plan remains for Ademola Lookman to leave Atalanta this summer. Atalanta will try to clarify the situation with Gasperini in the next 24 hours after strong quotes, but won’t change future plans. It was already planned last summer, transfer to happen this year.”

Atalanta will seek to resolve the situation amicably in order to avoid a similar event that transpired between Napoli and Victor Osimhen, which ended with the Nigerian striker’s loan move to Galatasaray.

With Atalanta still in the Serie A title race, only five points behind league leaders Napoli, the club will aim to re-establish a positive atmosphere in the dressing room despite recent setbacks on and off the pitch.

Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman has returned to light training at Atalanta after sustaining a knee injury last week, Soccernet.ng reports.

Lookman was sidelined last week, just hours before Atalanta’s crucial UEFA Champions League game against Barcelona.

The Nigerian forward was expected to play a big role for La Dea in that game, but it was confirmed that he had sustained a knee injury. Injuries to the knee are always delicate, and there were fears that the 27-year-old forward would be out of action for a significant time.

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However, according to Atalanta BC News, the Super Eagles star has returned to light training. This means that Lookman could return to action for Atalanta in the next two weeks.

Lookman has contributed 14 goals and seven assists in 26 appearances across all competitions. He is Atalanta’s second-highest goalscorer after Mateo Retegui, who has 22 goal contributions.

Lookman’s return comes at a good time for Atalanta, as they have some important games coming up. La Dea has a double-header against Club Brugge in the UEFA Champions League in the next two weeks.