Atalanta welcome Lookman back to the team

Atalanta have welcomed Ademola Lookman back into the squad after the Nigerian striker returned from international duty

Several sources, including Gazzetta, claim that Lookman arrived at the Atalanta training ground on Friday, where he trained for the first time under Ivan Juric.

The former RB Leipzig and Leicester City striker was frozen out of the team and trained separately in August as he had tried to force a move to Inter Milan.

Atalanta, however, are not planning to punish the player further, and Lookman has been reintegrated into the group.

The Nigeria international had trained separately following his dramatic fallout with the club in August, even deleting Atalanta pictures from his social media after Inter reportedly submitted a €45m (£38m/$53m) bid, which was turned down.

Lookman made his first two competitive appearances in 2024/25 during the September break with the Nigeria national team, playing 75 minutes against Rwanda and a full 90 minutes against South Africa in World Cup qualifying.

It remains to be seen if, after Friday’s training session, he’ll be available for the upcoming Serie A game against Lecce on Sunday.

The 27-year-old is unlikely to be involved when Atalanta face Lecce in Serie A, but he could make the squad for their Champions League opener against Paris Saint-Germain next Wednesday.

La Dea stood firm throughout the summer saga, refusing to part with one of their key attacking figures despite Inter’s strong interest. Lookman, who scored 20 goals in all competitions last season, is considered vital to their ambitions in Serie A and Europe.

The situation is reminiscent of 2024, when the forward was also sidelined until after the transfer window closed, only to return and play a crucial role in their campaign.

Lookman’s Atalanta contract expires in June 2027, and according to Tuttosport, he’s the number one target of Juventus to replace Dusan Vlahovic in 2026.

The Serbia international is not expected to extend his contract at the Allianz Stadium beyond June, and the Bianconeri are naturally looking for replacements already.

The Nigerian’s return to training marks a significant development for Atalanta’s season preparations, though questions remain about his long-term commitment to the club given the summer’s events and continued speculation about his future.