Atalanta’s newly appointed head coach Ivan Juric has made it clear that he intends to keep star winger Ademola Lookman at the club, despite mounting interest from Serie A rivals Napoli.
Juric, who officially took over the reins in Bergamo following the departure of Gian Piero Gasperini, addressed questions about the transfer market during his first press conference. He confirmed that while Napoli may have identified Lookman as one of their summer transfer targets, Atalanta have no plans to part ways with the Nigerian forward.
“It’s going to be a very tough season in the league, with many fierce competitors,” Juric told reporters. “The club’s idea is to keep both Ederson and Lookman. Even though the club already has a clear transfer strategy, I haven’t made any specific requests for players — not even for the ones already here.”
Lookman, 26, has enjoyed phenomenal campaign with Atalanta, emerging as one of the most influential players in their squad. He scored a memorable hat-trick in the 2023/24 UEFA Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen, helping La Dea secure their first-ever European title with a 3-0 win.
More Read
In Serie A the same season, the Nigeria international registered 11 goals and 8 assists, playing a pivotal role in securing a Champions League spot for the club and winning the African Player of the Year award. In the just concluded season, Lookman scored 15 goals and created five assists in the Serie A to help Atalanta finish third and again qualify for the Champions League.
His performances have attracted interest across Europe, with Napoli particularly keen on bringing him to Naples as part of their squad rebuild under new management.
The Super Eagles player was set to leave Atalanta in the summer after falling out with ex-manager Gasperini. But with the Italian tactician now off to Roma, Lookman might as well remain at Atalanta.
However, Juric appears focused on stability and continuity, emphasizing that he is yet to demand any player changes, either in or out.
“I haven’t made any requests about transfers,” he reiterated. “Not even for players currently in the team. I trust the club’s plans and vision.”
The former Torino boss also expressed his enthusiasm about leading Atalanta into the UEFA Champions League next season.
“I’m not afraid — in fact, I’m very excited about the Champions League,” Juric said. “It will be a great challenge, especially when it comes to analyzing and studying our opponents at that level.”
© Bold Media Innovations & Creative Hub Limited. All rights reserved. If sharing, kindly credit Bold Sports as the source and include a link to the original post. Unauthorised use is prohibited.
