‘I shouldn’t have to beg him to play’ — Atalanta coach slams Lookman, leaves Super Eagles star out of squad

Atalanta head coach Ivan Juric has publicly criticised Ademola Lookman, confirming that the Nigerian forward will not be part of the squad to face Lecce on Sunday.

The coach’s comments underline the strained relationship between player and club after a turbulent summer.

Juric did not mince words when addressing Lookman’s situation in his pre-match press conference. “Ademola will not be ready for tomorrow,” the coach said, before expanding on his reasons.

He stressed that Atalanta needed “spirit, humility, passion for the shirt,” qualities he believes are currently lacking from the forward.

“I have a very good relationship with Lookman, but I shouldn’t have to beg him to play,” Juric added firmly. “It works the other way around. We are Atalanta and he represents the city. We need what Atalanta represents: hard work, humility, these are different values.”

The 27-year-old has yet to feature competitively this season and has not played in any pre-season friendlies, leaving questions about his fitness and commitment.

Juric’s remarks make clear that the issue goes beyond physical readiness, focusing instead on attitude and responsibility.

Lookman’s absence stems from a chaotic summer in which a proposed move to Inter fell through. Frustrated, he submitted a transfer request and published a public statement criticising the club, before returning to the UK to train individually.

He only rejoined Atalanta five days before the start of the Serie A season, far behind his teammates in preparation.

Although some reports suggested he might be reintegrated for the Lecce clash, after playing for Nigeria during the international break, Juric’s strong stance has ended that speculation.

For now, Lookman’s road back into the squad depends less on ability or fitness and more on whether he can embrace the values his coach insists are non-negotiable at Atalanta.