Atalanta reinstate Lookman ahead of Juventus clash, but lose two key players to injury | OneFootball

Following a summer soap opera that ended in bad blood, Ademola Lookman has finally made peace with Atalanta, just in time to feature in next weekend’s clash against Juventus.

The Nigerian striker is a cult hero in Bergamo, especially thanks to his Europa League heroics in 2024. However, he was desperate to embark on a new career chapter last summer.

Inter spent several months chasing his signature, but La Dea didn’t budge, insisting on their original asking price. The 27-year-old tried to follow in Teun Koopmeiners’ footsteps by refusing to train, but unlike the Dutch midfielder, he failed to force his way out of the club.

Atalanta reconcile with Lookman

At the start of the season, Lookman was nowhere to be seen, with some fans fearing that the attacker could remain on the sidelines until January.

Nevertheless, the player has recently made peace with Atalanta, as the two parties realised this would be in their best interest.

(Getty Images)

The reconciliation was confirmed on Sunday afternoon, as Ivan Juric gave Lookman a brief cameo in the 3-0 victory over Torino.

“I’ve always stayed in touch with Lookman,” said the Croatian manager in his post-match press conference via IlBianconero.

“He spoke to me and the team on Monday. He has a winning mentality: now we need to get him back physically fit, and he’ll be a key player for us again.”

Ademola Lookman to feature against Juventus

It remains to be seen if the former Leipzig star will be able to make significant strides in he coming days and play a prominent role next Saturday, when the Orobici arrive in Turin to take on Juventus in a much-anticipated clash.

On a related note, Atalanta lost Nicola Zalewski and Isac Hien to injury, as both players left the field in the first half against Torino.

Hence, the Polish wingback and the Swedish defender could be ruled out of next weekend’s major showdown.