Lookman Removes Atalanta BC from His Social Media Amid Growing Tension

Ademola Lookman has taken a clear step signalling discord with his club by unfollowing Atalanta BC on Instagram and deleting or archiving all posts referencing the club.

The Nigeria international reportedly removed the club’s name from his bio, wiped his profile of images featuring him in the club’s jersey, and ceased following the club’s official pages.

This move is widely viewed as a public expression of unhappiness, following a series of events including a touch-line disagreement with coach Ivan Juric during a recent UEFA Champions League fixture.

Reports suggest that Lookman feels constrained at Atalanta after the club blocked his departure in the summer despite interest from other clubs. As of now, Atalanta have not issued a formal public response to his social-media activity.

Editorial

In the modern era the silence of deletion speaks as loudly as the roar of a goal. What we see in Ademola Lookman’s erasure of Atalanta from his Instagram is not just a branding change it is a signal. A forward of his caliber, in this moment, is saying: the alignment is broken.

Lookman has been one of Atalanta’s most potent attacking weapons. Yet when the public steps are taken bio scrubbed, club unfollowed, posts removed it becomes less about form and more about identity, control, agency. The touch-line friction with Juric was visible this is less visible but arguably more consequential. Because football’s public sphere now includes the digital arena. When a player disconnects online, the question isn’t just what’s wrong, but what’s next.

For Atalanta, the story is cautionary. A star player, their image and investment, is making a statement without a word. The club must decide whether to respond with clarity, with negotiation, with firmness or allow the drift to become narrative. For Lookman, the move is bold, exposing belief not in club hospitality but in his own value, and perhaps his own next chapter.

For Nigerian football watchers, the implications ripple outward. When our players abroad reach these inflection points, we tend to focus on the transfer fee or the goal tally less so on subtle ruptures of alignment. Yet these are often the breakthroughs. Lookman’s action may prove pivotal for his career, for his club, for his national team status.

In football, moments of tension can lead to transformation or fragmentation. The difference lies in how the stakeholders respond. Lookman has taken the first visible step. The next will be telling.

Did You Know?

1. Lookman initially removed Atalanta-related posts in early August 2025 after the club rejected an offer from Inter Milan reportedly worth €42 million for him.
2. The most recent social-media purge came after a touch-line clash with coach Ivan Juric in a Champions League match where Lookman was substituted in the 75th minute.
3. According to reports, Lookman had previously alerted Atalanta’s hierarchy that he expected a summer move the blocked exit is said to have caused ongoing unrest.
4. OneFootball reported that Lookman unfollowed Atalanta and archived his content within 24 hours of the touch-line exchange, highlighting the rapid escalation of his dissatisfaction.
5. Atalanta have a standing rule that they will not sell top players to other Italian clubs unless their valuation is met — Lookman’s situation is reportedly being influenced by that policy.