Atalanta Coach Gasperini List Qualities Lookman Needs to Become World Class

• Gian Pero Gasperini has praised Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman
• Lookman has had 11 goal contributions for the Italian club this season
• The Nigerian winger joined Atalanta from RB Leipzig in 2022

Atalanta coach Gian Pero Gasperini is delighted with Ademola Lookman’s improvement at the Italian club since joining the team in the summer of 2022 from Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig.

The 26-year-old Nigerian winger has truly felt at home at the Seria A club, becoming one of the club’s pivotal players after netting 13 goals and three assists in 31 games for them last season.

According to Soccernet, Gasperini noted that Lookman can become the club’s reference player in the future going by the rate the Super Eagles forward has developed under his tutelage.

“He used to score 6/7 goals a year, while now he is quick, good at dribbling, even strong with his head. I encourage him because every now and then, he hides from the game, but I believe that when he approaches the area, he can become a reference player for our team.”

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Lookman has scored eight goals and contributed three assists for Atalanta this season despite being away for five weeks representing Nigeria at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

Lookman aiming to end goal drought

Meanwhile, Lookman has yet to score in Europe since December 2017 and will be looking to end that drought when Atalanta takes on Sporting Lisbon in the Europa League on Thursday, PUNCH reports.

The winger’s last goal in Europe came seven years ago when he netted a brace for English Premier League club Everton against Apollon Limassol in the group stage of the Europa League in a 3-0 victory.

Lookman has played a total of 18 games in all UEFA competitions for RB Leipzig in Germany, Leicester City in England, and Atalanta in Serie A but has yet to score.

Lookman sends message to teammates

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Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Lookman boosted his Nigerian teammates morale with a social media post ahead of the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Abidjan.

The 26-year-old winger was Nigeria's star in the knockout stages, scoring three of the team's four goals. He scored twice in the victory over Cameroon before scoring the winning goal against Angola in the quarterfinals.

Lookman failed to add the AFCON title to the FIFA U20 World Cup he won with the junior Three Lions team in 2017 after Nigeria lost 2-1 to Ivory Coast in the final.