Atalanta coach Ivan Juric has urged Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman to maintain a positive attitude and refocus on his performances after his failed summer transfer to Inter Milan.
Lookman reportedly refused to train during pre-season after Atalanta rejected a €40 million offer, plus add-ons, from Inter, insisting the club valued him closer to €50 million.
With no club meeting that valuation, the 27-year-old was later reintegrated into the squad, though Juric admitted Lookman’s attitude had initially been poor.
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Following his return from international duty with Nigeria in their 2026 World Cup qualifier against Lesotho, Juric hopes to see continued improvement from the forward.
“I hope that he will return from international duty with the same attitude I saw in the last two or three weeks, where I had no complaints,” Juric told Sport Mediaset.
“It was a great attitude, really positive, and I want to make up for the time we lost over the summer. He is not yet at his best, but I hope to see the right spirit from him.”
Juric acknowledged that Atalanta’s attacking options have been limited by the absence of both Lookman and injured Italy striker Gianluca Scamacca.
“Lookman was named African Player of the Year, so that says it all. The other day, he played in an unfamiliar role but still showed good things; he was only missing a goal,” Juric added.
The coach, who succeeded Gian Piero Gasperini after nine years in charge, also confirmed that Scamacca, Nicola Zalewski, and Giorgio Scalvini are back in contention.
