Atalanta manager, Ivan Juric, has insisted he will not beg Nigerian forward, Ademola Lookman, to feature for the club despite the player’s recent return to first-team training.
Naija News reports that Lookman, 27, had been absent from training earlier this summer after reportedly submitting a transfer request in a bid to force a move away from Bergamo.
His push for an exit fell through after Atalanta turned down several offers, including multiple approaches from Inter Milan.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s Serie A fixture against Lecce, Juric admitted the situation was unpleasant, but emphasised that no player was bigger than the club.
He stressed that he has a good relationship with Lookman.
“This is an unpleasant, difficult situation. With Lookman, I have a very good relationship, but I don’t have to beg him to play,” Juric told reporters.
“On the contrary, we are Atalanta, and we represent the city. We need what Atalanta represents: work, humility. They are different values. I do not have to pray to anyone. We are all convinced that Atalanta needs strong values on a human level.”
Naija News reports that Lookman, the Super Eagles star, who scored a memorable hat-trick in the 2024 Europa League final, was linked to several top European clubs during the transfer window.
Despite interest, no deal materialised, leaving him to return to Atalanta under strained circumstances.
While Juric has allowed Lookman to rejoin full training with the squad, the forward will not be involved in the weekend clash against Lecce, as the club looks to manage both the player’s reintegration and the dressing room dynamics.
Atalanta, who finished strongly in Serie A last season, will rely on other attacking options to maintain momentum in the early weeks of the campaign.
Lookman’s future at the Gewiss Stadium remains uncertain, with his role under Juric likely to depend on how quickly he buys into the manager’s philosophy of humility and hard work.
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