Since May 12, Lookman has not scored or assisted for either club or country, and both Atalanta and Nigeria are in need of him.
The star of both teams, Lookman, was named the best African footballer in the world last season.
Atalanta coach Ivan Juric has stated that Lookman needs to return to his best form to help the club recover from its recent slump. Despite facing relatively weaker opponents, Atalanta has scored only two goals in their last four matches. Lookman, meanwhile, has failed to score in six appearances this season and appears far from his form last year.
This situation is largely due to the issues Lookman faced with Atalanta during the summer transfer window. Inter wanted the Nigerian star, and although Atalanta had promised to sell him, they ultimately did not. While it is understandable that Atalanta did not want to sell one of their players to a major league rival, this move led Lookman to sever ties with the club.
Atalanta coach Juric is aware of Lookman’s importance to the team and has urged the Super Eagles star to regain his form.
Juric said:
“Lookman has been working hard to get back into shape. Now that he is aware of his qualities, we are pushing to get him playing immediately and at his best.
The team provides him with the balls and opportunities, and I am confident that with this kind of play, he will unlock his potential very soon.”
Nigeria also aims to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup playoffs and be the 10th African team in the tournament. For that, they will need the Atalanta star to perform at his best.