Speaking exclusively to Footy-Africa, Nigerian football legend Yakubu Ayegbeni praised both Ademola Lookman and his club Atalanta for putting their differences aside in order to focus on football.
27-year-old striker’s turbulent start to the season at his club appears to be settling after weeks of uncertainty. The Nigerian forward had been sidelined from first-team training following the collapse of his proposed transfer to Inter Milan during the summer window.
“I know situations like this can be very difficult for a player,” Yakubu said in an exclusive interview with Footy-Africa. “When a move you were expecting doesn’t happen, it affects your state of mind. But I must commend Lookman for staying patient and Atalanta for welcoming him back in. For me, the most important thing is that he is back on the pitch, because that is where he can do what he does best, scoring goals and making an impact for his team.”
‘It will be good for him to forget about the past’: Choji on Lookman
Yakubu, who scored 21 goals in 58 appearances for Nigeria, believes Lookman still has a huge role to play this season, despite the early challenges. “Ademola is a top-quality player, and the last seasons showed everyone what he can bring,” he added.
“Atalanta need him, and he also needs Atalanta to keep pushing his career forward. It’s good to see they have found common ground, and I hope from here he can enjoy his football again, stay focused, and deliver the performances we all know he is capable of.”
Tensions between player and club saw him frozen out, sparking speculation over his long-term future in Bergamo. However, over the past fortnight, Atalanta have reintegrated Lookman into the squad, allowing him to resume training and finally make his first appearance of the campaign last week.
The Super Eagles star featured in the 3-0 win over Torino on 21 September, before taking his place on the bench in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Juventus in Turin.
