Atalanta head coach Gian Piero Gasperini has once again taken a subtle swipe at Ademola Lookman following their emphatic weekend win.
The tension between the Italian manager and the Nigerian forward has been making headlines ever since Gasperini publicly criticized Lookman for missing a penalty in the Europa League clash against Club Brugge, which saw Atalanta eliminated from the competition.
The situation escalated further during Atalanta’s 5-0 thrashing of Empoli when Lookman noticeably avoided shaking hands with his coach after being substituted.
Addressing the media after the game, Gasperini appeared to send a pointed reminder about the mutual benefits of their partnership.
“Lookman has always scored a lot of goals, at least since he joined Atalanta. He has become an extraordinary player, especially when he puts himself at the disposal of the team,” Gasperini said.
“He said that he feels a bond with the fans and I appreciate that very much,” he added.
The winger, however, reportedly felt disrespected by Gasperini’s initial comments following his missed penalty against Club Brugge.
Following the incident, Lookman has been linked away from the club ahead of the summer transfer window.
The former Everton and RB Leipzig attacker is famously remembered for his hat trick in Atalanta’s Europa League win against Bayer Leverkusen last season.
Lookman has thrived in Serie A, registering 49 goals and 23 assists in 107 appearances for the Bergamo-based club.
Internationally, Lookman was first called up by Nigeria in March 2022 and has since scored eight goals and provided four assists in 27 caps for the Super Eagles.
