From struggling for consistent game time at Leicester City to becoming one of Europe’s standout forwards, Ademola Lookman’s career has been revitalized since his move to Atalanta.
The 27-year-old Super Eagles forward, who previously played for Charlton, Everton, RB Leipzig, Fulham, and Leicester, joined Atalanta in August 2022 on a four-year deal worth €15 million. Since arriving in Bergamo, Lookman has flourished under the guidance of Gian Piero Gasperini, earning nominations for prestigious awards both in Africa and globally.
Lookman led Atalanta to Europa League triumph, scoring a hat-trick in the 3-0 final win over Bayer Leverkusen, their first European league title. He was also named the club’s player of the season.
On the national team, the 27-year-old has been one of Nigeria’s standout performers, with his crucial goal helping the Eagles to the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory this February. He was named in the tournament’s Team of the Tournament despite Nigeria’s final loss to the hosts.
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In an exclusive interview with BBC, Lookman reflected on how his time at Atalanta has improved his game.
“Life is all about experience, and Bergamo is very chilled, and relaxed but very historic. This period of being in Italy has been about learning what the Mister (coach) wants from me and how he wants me to perform,” Lookman said.
He identified coach Gian Piero Gasperini’s demanding style as being key to his resurgence.
“He is very demanding of us as a team and as individuals to play a style of football that he wants and to score goals, which is what the spectators want to see. He made it very easy for me in terms of what he wants me to do on the pitch, and I like that,” Lookman added.
Comparing Serie A to the Bundesliga, where he previously played for Leipzig, Lookman noted the defensive discipline of Italian football. “In Italian football, it’s hard to score goals. Italian football is known for defense, but in Germany, it’s more open, and you get loads of chances,” he said.
Despite the challenges, Lookman’s adaptation to Serie A was swift. “I settled within a month of being here. I scored on my debut, and pretty much after that, I scored for about a run of six games on the bounce,” he recalled.
Playing in the Champions League has also been a dream come true for the Nigerian forward. “Standing there and just listening to the Champions League anthem and looking around the stadium is surreal. You want to play in an atmosphere with 60,000 people watching,” he said.
Lookman also praised other young forwards making waves in European football, including Lamine Yamal, Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe, Jeremy Doku, and Rafael Leao.
“For me, this is what I was born to do. I’m just doing my job,” Lookman added.
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