Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has urged Atalanta to fully reintegrate Ademola Lookman as a turbulent summer in Bergamo looks to be calming, Soccernet.ng reports.
The 27-year-old forward came close to leaving the Europa League winners in the last transfer window, with Inter Milan ready to pay just over €40 million for his services.
Atalanta blocked the move, sparking Lookman’s frustration and leading to his absence from pre-season training.
The former Fulham and RB Leipzig ace was sanctioned and briefly frozen out of the squad, leaving doubts about his role under new coach Ivan Juric.
But Eric Chelle believes the situation is softening, insisting both club and player recognise they cannot afford a prolonged standoff.
“Apparently, each is taking a step towards the other, and that's good news,” Eric Chelle told AfricaFoot.
“From what I know, Lookman was supposed to leave last summer, but his management refused, which affected him a lot, as I saw during the meeting last September. Lookman is a great player, but also a quiet, introverted man who doesn't let his emotions show. I think his management and coaching staff understood that the team needed him, and Ademola needs to play.”
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Lookman’s brief appearance in Atalanta’s 3-0 defeat to Torino on September 21 was his first of the season.
Juric then left him on the bench against Juventus four days later, but the forward is expected to be included in the squad for Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Club Brugge.
Eric Chelle, who gave Lookman two strong outings in Nigeria’s recent World Cup qualifiers, is convinced that the winger is too important to be sidelined.
“To those who were surprised, I replied that it was difficult to do without a player of this level, and Lookman was in good shape, that he was training hard, because he is a great professional, very demanding of himself,” Eric Chelle added.
“I had spoken with him before the gathering, and I knew that I could trust him. Initially, I thought that because of his lack of rhythm, he would only be able to play about thirty minutes. It is in the best interest of the club and the player that Ademola plays again.”
Former Super Eagles and Everton striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni echoed the sentiment, praising Lookman for handling the setback with maturity.
“I know situations like this can be very difficult for a player,” Aiyegbeni told 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. Atalanta need him, and he also needs Atalanta to keep pushing his career forward.”
Lookman, who has 31 caps and eight goals for Nigeria, remains under contract with Atalanta until 2027.
With matches against Club Brugge and Como before Nigeria’s qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin in October, the forward now has a chance to rebuild momentum.
