Lookman Says He’s Back to Work for Atalanta After Transfer Saga

He marked his return in fine fashion scoring once and setting up another in Atalanta’s 3-0 triumph over Eintracht Frankfurt on Wednesday.

Looking ahead, the Nigerian international insists his focus now lies squarely on contributing to the team’s success. “What’s happened has happened. A lot’s gone on. Some things people know, others they don’t,” he told Sky Sport Italia. “Right now is the time to work hard for the team and we need to win games … to get stronger every day.”

Lookman also addressed his relationship with new coach Raffaele Palladino, praising the manager’s commitment to attacking, entertaining football a style that evidently suits Lookman’s own strengths. “Obviously, the DNA of pressing and hard work is in the team anyway, and we have to keep that going,” he added.

Editorial

There are few things in modern football more compelling or more fragile than a man in search of restoration. When a summer filled with rumour, frustration and rejected ambition ends not in flight but in dedication, it deserves attention. Ademola Lookman’s return to Atalanta might seem routine; in truth, it feels quietly defiant.

Lookman has emerged this season as one of the most intriguing figures in European football: talented, unpredictable and for a time restless. His attempt to force a move away from Atalanta was not born of mere restlessness, but of ambition. Yet ambition alone does not win matches; professionalism does. And now, after that summer of turmoil, he has committed to the here and now.

There is something inherently noble about choosing to fight rather than flourish elsewhere. Scoring, assisting, fighting for space, working under a coach who values intensity these aren’t just technical details, but affirmations of a player’s willingness to belong again, recommit. Football especially at clubs like Atalanta is as much about mental fortitude as it is about flair.

This is not the story of a prodigal striker welcomed home. It is the story of a footballer confronting his own restlessness, emerging with humility and resolve. Should Lookman sustain this trajectory deliver on the promise that first brought him to Bergamo then this return might be one of the most under-appreciated, but significant, chapters in his career.

Because in today’s game, when loyalty is borrowed and ambition bartered, a man who chooses to stay and fight becomes rarer than goals and just as valuable.

Did You Know?

1. Lookman joined Atalanta from RB Leipzig in 2022 after an earlier spell at clubs such as Everton FC and Leicester City FC.
2. His contract with Atalanta runs until June 2027 meaning the club holds his registration for almost two more seasons beyond the current campaign.
3. Earlier in 2025, the club’s CEO publicly demanded “full commitment” from Lookman after his attempt to force a summer exit casting doubt over his immediate future at Atalanta.
4. Despite being frozen out for a period, Atalanta’s management has now officially reintegrated him into the squad, offering a window for redemption under the new management setup.
5. Lookman’s reconnection with the club comes just as Atalanta seeks to blend attacking flair with pressing intensity a tactical DNA shift under the new coach that could suit his style perfectly.