Lookman had a fallout with the club’s hierarchy after he tried to force his way out of the club to join domestic rivals انتر. The player has since not started for the club, with Juric dropping him from all the games while seeking a sense of belonging among his players. However, according to جازيتا ديلو سبورت the player and head coach recently had some progressive talks. During these talks, Lookman fully committed to the team, prompting the club to start the reintegration process.
The game against باريس سان جيرمان revealed the gaps the Italian club had and showed them the difference in level between their side and the reigning دوري أبطال أوروبا winners. Coach Juric and Lookman had two decisive meetings before the forward was asked for his unwavering commitment after coming back from Paris. After the Champions League match, club captain Marten de Roon also responded positively when asked about Lookman’s possible reintroduction to the team in an interview.
The Nigerian international reportedly also confronted his team-mates and explained to them the tough situation he was in during the summer before heading into the training session.
Lookman’s challenging start to the season saw him go on strike after releasing a public statement in the summer, with the aim of forcing a move away from أتالانتا. Since then, he has only been involved in solo training sessions. While a recent meeting with the club’s owners did not produce a final resolution, Juric became open to reintegrating Lookman into the squad following their significant loss to PSG. The player will now finally be a part of the team, giving Juric the opportunity to train him and implement his tactics.
Lookman’s return brings hope for Atalanta to strengthen their attack after a tough start to the season and the heavy Champions League loss to PSG. While he still needs to regain match fitness, the club and captain Marten de Roon have welcomed him back, seeing his return as key to improving their campaign going forward.
