Lookman to remain in Atalanta cooler… coach says he won’t beg him to play him

By our reporter 13.9.2025
Ademola Lookman will remain in soccer limbo till he shows commitment to play for Atalanta.
Ahead of Sunday’s game against Lecce, Atalanta coach Ivan Juric said he was not convinced Lookman is ready to play for the club, and he wouldn’t beg the Super Eagles player to do so.
Lookman is still sulking after Atalanta denied him a move to Inter Milan in August and also blocked his move to other clubs on deadline day. Since he returned to Bergamo, he has not trained with the squad.
“Ademola will not be ready for tomorrow,” Juric said during his pre-match press conference.
“A truly unpleasant and difficult situation,” he continued. “As a coach, I felt that we needed other things: Spirit, humility, passion for the shirt. We need to do better and also take responsibility. You need a sense of belonging.
“I have a very good relationship with Lookman. But I shouldn’t have to beg him to play. It works the other way around. We are Atalanta and he represents the city. We need what Atalanta represents: Hard work, humility, these are different values.
“I shouldn’t have to plead to anyone. We’re all convinced that Atalanta needs strong values on a personal level.”