Former RB Leipzig coach Ralph Hasenhüttl has explained why Ademola Lookman struggled during his time in Germany, Soccernet.ng reports.
Hasenhüttl also pointed out the two qualities that now make Lookman such a dangerous forward ahead of Atlético Madrid’s clash with Arsenal.
Lookman’s journey has been one of sharp contrasts. After making just seven Premier League starts at Everton, he pushed for a loan move to RB Leipzig in January 2018. That short spell turned out to be electric. He scored five goals in 11 matches and even grabbed a dramatic 89th-minute winner on his debut against Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Hasenhüttl recalled that moment vividly.
“We needed someone up front on loan,” he told SunSport. “I remember Ralf Rangnick, our sporting director, running through the player restaurant with me and into an office to send a fax to make everything happen.
“The signing worked immediately as he scored a very important goal against Monchengladbach.
“This was on his debut. The game did not start well when he came on because he kept slipping as the pitch was muddy and he had the wrong boots.
“My assistants were jumping up and down shouting at him but he changed his boots and hit an 89th-minute winner!”
That brilliant loan convinced Leipzig to sign him permanently for £22.5 million in July 2019. But things quickly went wrong. Under new coach Julian Nagelsmann, Lookman struggled with the intense tactical demands, especially his work off the ball. He made just one league start in his first full season and failed to score in 13 appearances overall during his permanent spell.
Hasenhüttl explained the issue clearly: “Working hard off the ball was tough for him and maybe too much, which is why maybe he struggled.
“But he has had a good journey since. His dribbling and finishing is his biggest strength.”
Ademola Lookman: From Leipzig struggles to Atletico Madrid star
Those two strengths, dribbling and finishing, have since defined Lookman’s rise. After mixed loan spells at Leicester City and Fulham, he found his true level at Atalanta in 2022.
In Italy, he became one of Europe’s most exciting forwards. His finest moment came in the 2024 UEFA Europa League final, where he scored a stunning hat-trick to beat Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 and the club's first-ever continental title.
Over his time in Bergamo, he recorded more than 50 goal contributions, including 17 goals and 10 assists in the 2023–24 season alone. His performances even earned him a 14th-place finish in the Ballon d’Or rankings.
That form convinced Atlético Madrid to sign him for £30.3 million in January 2026. Since arriving in Spain, he has made an immediate impact. He scored on his debut against Real Betis in the Copa del Rey, his 100th career goal, and later netted a crucial strike against Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Attention now turns to Atletico's semi-final first leg against Arsenal at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano. There is some doubt over Lookman's fitness after he missed Atlético’s last two La Liga games with a muscle strain.
Although he has returned to training and says he is ‘raring to go', manager Diego Simeone has hinted he may not be ready to start.
If he does feature, even from the bench, Lookman could be decisive. His quick feet and sharp finishing make him a perfect weapon on the counter-attack, especially against an Arsenal side managed by Mikel Arteta that likes to play a high defensive line.
Both Arsenal and Atletico Madrid have never won the Champions League despite reaching the final a couple of times.
