Atalanta manager heaps praise on Lookman, others
Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini expressed his satisfaction with his team’s performance following their impressive 3-0 victory against Napoli in Serie A.
Tag: Ademola Lookman
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Serie A: Ademola Lookman brace fires Atalanta pasts Napoli
Atalanta stunned Serie A leader Napoli by winning 3-0 at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Sunday. Mateo Retegui was surprisingly benched but Ademola Lookman netted twice in the first half to inflict what was only Napoli´s second defeat of the season, and the first since the opening day. Retegui was brought on with 14 minutes remaining and scored in stoppage time for his 11th goal in as many matches. Atalanta soared into second spot although it could be leapfrogged by Inter Milan if the defending champion beats Venezia later to cut the gap to Napoli to one point. Napoli visits Inter next weekend. Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini surprisingly opted to drop Retegui. That was reportedly because he wanted a more unpredictable attack against a Napoli defence that had kept clean sheets in six of its past seven matches and only conceded five goals all season. Gasperini instead picked Lookman and Charles De Ketelaere in attack with Mario Pasalic behind them and that paid off almost immediately as Atalanta took the lead in the 10th minute. A cross was cleared by Napoli but only as far as the edge of the area where it was put back in and De Ketelaere nodded it back for Lookman to slot into the near bottom corner. Napoli almost levelled immediately but Scott McTominay´s powerful effort crashed off the right post. The Atalanta forwards combined again in the 31st as De Ketelaere raced down the right and squirmed between two players before passing across to Lookman, who slotted a hard shot into the far bottom corner. Sead Kolasinac thought he had extended Atalanta´s lead early in the second half but the defender was offside. Retegui was brought on for De Ketelaere late on and he volleyed a cross into the bottom right corner. Fiorentina can move into third spot with a win at Torino later. Roma was playing at Hellas Verona.
Gusau hails Lookman, encourages him for better Ballon d’Or outing next year
President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau has commended Super Eagles’ forward Ademola Lookman for finishing in 14th place in this year’s Ballon d’Or race, saying he believes the petite forward has what it takes to finish much higher in the race next year. Lookman finished 14th in this year’s contest which gala was held in Paris on Monday night, and which was won by Manchester City ace Rodri. “The NFF commends Ademola Lookman for his feat, and we believe he has the potential to finish much higher next year. He was already a winner before Monday’s night’s gala, as the only African on the 30-man shortlist. He was also the second highest-rated Italian Serie A player in the race. “We encourage him to continue doing his best for club and country, and the sky will be the limit for him.” Lookman scored three important goals for Nigeria as the Super Eagles finished in second place at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire earlier in the year, and then scored all three goals in the Europa Cup final as his Italian club, Atalanta, routed German top side Bayer Leverkusen. This season, he has remained within the goals/assists frame for club and country. He has scored two goals for Nigeria in the 2025 AFCON qualification race, with two other goals controversially chalked off. Most pundits see him winning this year’s Africa Player of the Year award. If that happens, it will be the first time that a Nigerian has picked the continental gong from a fellow Nigerian, since ‘Prince of Monaco’ Victor Nosa Ikpeba took over from Nwankwo Kanu in 1997. The first was in 1994, when Emmanuel Amuneke took over from Rashidi Yekini (of blessed memory).
2024 Ballon d’Or: Ademola Lookman finishes 14th World’s best
Atalanta star and Nigeria international Ademola Lookman has finished in 14th place in the final rankings of the 2024 Ballon d’Or.
West Ham weigh up move for Ademola Lookman
West Ham are in the market for attacking reinforcements in 2025 and one of three names on their shortlist is Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman, according to reports. The former Everton forward helped Atalanta win the Europa League last season and has continued his good form into the new campaign, which has put him back on the radar of some Premier League clubs. West Ham want to improve their attacking options further following the arrivals of players like Niclas Fullkrug and Crysencio Summerville over the summer, and it seems Lookman is under consideration at the London Stadium. According to Give Me Sport, West Ham are holding talks internally about the idea of making a move for Lookman in the future. As things stand, he is probably the outside candidate on their shortlist, which also includes centre-forwards Jhon Duran (Aston Villa) and Jonathan David (Lille). Duran remains a dream target after summer links, while David could be available on a free transfer in 2025. However, West Ham are deemed to be likely bidders for Lookman, in comparison to some of the other clubs he has been linked with. Lookman was recognised for his resurgent form by being nominated for the 2024 Ballon d’Or, although he is unlikely to make even the top 10 in the voting. Lookman has played for Atalanta since 2022, when they bought him from RB Leipzig. However, he hadn’t actually played for the German side since 2020, subsequently having loan spells in the Premier League with Fulham and Leicester City. Having hit double figures of goals in both of his full seasons with Atalanta so far, it’s fair to say Lookman has transformed into a key player for Gian Piero Gasperini’s side. Atalanta reportedly resisted attempts by other clubs to prise him away in the summer and they retain him under contract until 2026, with the option of an extra year. Having recently turned 27, Lookman is now enjoying the prime of his career, so it would be interesting to see if he would be up for spending it back in the Premier League. It could be argued that he is best off staying where he is flourishing, but only time will tell what the future holds for the Nigeria international. The centre-forward position has been an area of concern for West Ham for a number of years. This summer, they tried to solve it by bringing in the experience of Fullkrug, but the German hasn’t hit the ground running. There have been whispers of a premature exit in January for Fullkrug, who has been tipped to head back to the Bundesliga, which has led to a top German reporter revealing what the chances are. In other West Ham news, a Club Brugge winger is supposedly being monitored by the Hammers and some of their Premier League rivals, while they are also in the queue watching a centre-back who could become the first player from his country to arrive in the Premier League.
CAF, NFF, Atalanta celebrate Ademola Lookman at 27
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and Serie A giants Atalanta have congratulated Ballon d’Door nominee Ademola Lookman on his 27th birthday. The bodies took turn on their various social media handles to celebrate the midfield maestro. In its congratulatory message, CAF wrote; “Wishing a very happy birthday to Nigerian superstar, Ademola Lookman!.” In a similar vein, the Nigeria Football Federation also congratulated the player. “Happy birthday to @NGSuperEagles forward, @Alookman_” “Lookman made his senior debut in 2015, playing as a forward for Charlton Athletic of the Championship. He signed for Everton in January 2017, where he played mainly as a winger. “Having represented England from under-19 to under-21 levels, Lookman made his senior debut for Nigeria in 2022. “On 4 August 2022, Lookman joined Serie A club Atalanta on a four-year contract for a reported fee of €15 million. Three African players are in contention to win the 2024 men’s and women’s Ballon d’Or, with Nigeria international Ademola Lookman on the 30-man shortlist for the former award.
Ademola Lookman makes African Footballer of the Year final shortlist
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially revealed the final three-man shortlist for the highly anticipated CAF Player of the Year award. Ahead of the grand ceremony in Marrakesh, the original ten-man list has been narrowed down to just three players, recognized for their outstanding contributions to both their clubs and national teams. These players were shortlisted due to their stellar contributions on the field, making them top contenders for Africa’s most prestigious football award. The following players made the final cut: Ademola Lookman (Nigeria): The Super Eagles and Atalanta winger, Ademola Lookman, earned his place on the shortlist due to his exceptional performances for both club and country. In the 2023/2024 season, the 26-year-old helped his team win the UEFA Europa League and was also named Atalanta’s Player of the Year. Victor Boniface (Nigeria): The Super Eagles and Bayer Leverkusen striker, Victor Boniface, played a crucial role for both his club and national team. During the 2023/2024 season, the highly regarded forward secured victories in the Bundesliga, the German Cup, and the German Super Cup. Brahim Diaz (Morocco): Moroccan and Real Madrid playmaker Brahim Diaz was equally instrumental in his club’s and country’s successes. The 25-year-old enjoyed a stellar 2023/2024 season, winning the Spanish La Liga title, the UEFA Champions League, the Spanish Super Cup, and the UEFA Super Cup.
Ademola Lookman scores first ever Champions League goal
Nigeria international Ademola Lookman on Wednesday scored his first ever Champions League goal in Atalanta 3-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk. Lookman got the goal by finishing off a well-worked move that he had started with a back-heel flick. Earlier in the match, Lookman grabbed an assist before Raoul Bellanova completed a classic Atalanta move in a dominant Champions League performance over Shakhtar Donetsk. La Dea were already leading from the Berat Djimsiti chest and volley on a Lookman cross when they doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time on neutral turf in Gelsenkirchen. The third goal then arrived with a classic Gian Piero Gasperini move, as one wing-back set up the other, Bellanova at the back post to meet the Davide Zappacosta cross.