Napoli Monitor CAF Player of the Year Ademola Lookman Despite Saga With Victor Osimhen
- Super Eagles winger Ademola Lookman is being chased by Victor Osimhen’s former club Napoli, and Inter Milan
- Atalanta’s president Antonio Percassi attempted to mediate between coach Gian Piero Gasperini and Lookman, but the discussions ended in a stalemate
- The 27-year-old has been advised to leave the club during the summer to avoid a repeat of the situation that saw Victor Osimhen's departure last season
Ademola Lookman is closely monitored for former Seria A champions Napoli.
Despite his injury woes, the Super Eagles star has scored 15 goals and 7 assists in 28 games for Atalanta.
The former Everton player inspired Atalanta to their first European title in 33 years following his hat-trick against Bayern Leverkusen in the UEFA Europa League.
Source: Getty Images
Ademola to Napoli?
The future of out-of-favour Ademola Lookman is uncertain as Napoli are reportedly keen to secure the winger’s services in the summer transfer window.
According to ScoreNigeria, Napoli's interest in the 27-year-old comes after Atalanta's reported attempts to bring in Napoli's Giacomo Raspadori last August.
With both clubs open to doing business, Napoli might offer Raspadori as part of a potential deal for Lookman per Calciomercato.
With the departure of Victor Osimhen looming for the club, Lookman’s versatile attacking abilities would provide a fresh dynamic for manager Rudi Garcia with their asking price of Atalanta reportedly around 60 million euros.
Source: Getty Images
Rift between coach Gasperini and Lookman
Following the exit of Atalanta in the UEFA Champions League, coach Gian Piero Gasperini labelled Ademola Lookman ‘One of the worst penalty-taker’ he has seen.
The winger came in as a substitute against Club Brugge to score a goal in their 3-1 defeat.
Despite being strong favorites to advance, Atalanta suffered a 5-2 aggregate defeat to the Belgian club, despite their higher ranking in the competition.
The saga between Atalanta’s coach, and Lookman has become a point of contention within the club per Skysports.
Despite Lookman’s impressive form on the pitch, there has been an underlying tension between the winger and Gasperini, with reports suggesting a lack of harmony.
Atalanta president Antonio Percassi attempted to mediate the situation, hoping to smooth things over between the coach and the player per Eurosports.
The club has reportedly advised the 27-year-old to seek a move in the summer to avoid a scenario similar to what happened with former teammate Victor Osimhen.
Why Osimhen left Napoli.
The departure of Victor Osimhen from Napoli last season serves as a cautionary tale for Ademola Lookman.
Osimhen joined Napoli from Lille in July 2020 for a reported £73m ($96m), making him the most expensive African player in history per BBC.
The 26-year-old, who had been the club’s star striker and a key player in their rise to the Serie A title, left under strained circumstances.
The saga worsened when Napoli's official TikTok account posted racially offensive depictions of Osimhen in ill-judged attempts at viral content per Sportingnews.
According to Mozzartsport, the former CAF Player of the Year saw transfers to Chelsea, PSG, and Saudi Arabia fall through one by one, ultimately ending up in Istanbul—an outcome he hadn't anticipated. He said:
“I had plans to stay there and wait for three or four months and leave in January, but I think for me it was fair also to stay there because I wouldn’t let anyone decide for me.
It was important for me to stay there since I didn’t get the deserved move that I really preferred.
When I received the call from the Galatasaray coach, it was really convincing. He said what he wanted to do this season and what he wanted to achieve.
I could see what he had set for himself as a man, a coach, and a father. I think I fit in this plan and coming to a team with already a lot of quality players with great ambition, as a footballer it was easy to come”
Atalanta’s fans behind Lookman
Legit.ng earlier reported that Atalanta fans rallied behind Ademola Lookman after coach Gasperini publicly criticized the Nigerian player for his missed penalty.
The Atalanta fanbase showed their support by displaying a banner praising the Super Eagles forward for his significant contributions to the team.
Lookman’s hat-trick in the Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen helped secure Atalanta’s first major European trophy.
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Source: Legit.ng
