Former Super Eagles coach José Peseiro has spoken about the transfer saga involving Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman, who is attracting strong interest from Inter Milan.
Lookman, 27, has reportedly told Atalanta he wants to leave, saying his time in Bergamo is over. Inter Milan have made three bids for him, but Atalanta have rejected them all and instead increased their asking price.
The Europa League champions’ decision has frustrated Lookman, who has refused to travel for a pre-season match against RB Leipzig and is not training with the team. He is said to be in England recovering from a calf injury.
Peseiro, who coached Lookman to the AFCON 2023 final and saw him win the CAF Player of the Year award the same year, believes the forward is at a crucial point in his career.
“As a child in England, he was told he would be a Premier League star and went on to become an U-20 world champion,” Peseiro told Gazzetta.it. “When he was no longer called up, he chose Nigeria because he loves his parents. That decision came after a painful rejection, and it gave him a strong desire to prove himself. Now he wants to play for a top European club like Inter, and I think that’s a valid ambition.”
Peseiro said he remains on good terms with Lookman but will not interfere. “I remember wanting to understand his past and goals when I first met him. At Atalanta, he found the right environment and coach to bring out his potential. His ability to score has grown over the years — give him a yard and he’ll find the corner of the net.”
While Inter are struggling to meet Atalanta’s rising €55m valuation, Peseiro believes Lookman is worth it. “Age doesn’t matter — Inter want to win now. He’s a quiet person, not very sociable, but with personality and rare qualities. I think these issues with Atalanta should be handled privately. From the outside, refusing to train might look bad, but I can’t judge without knowing all the details.”
Lookman’s agents are reportedly heading back to Italy to try to convince Atalanta to soften their stance, but time is running out.