Atalanta’s boss, Gian Piero Gasperini, has revealed the methods he employed to bring out the best in the 26-year-old striker.

On Wednesday Atalanta lifted the Europa League trophy for first ever time in their history, thanks to a stunning hat-trick by Ademola Lookman.

The Nigerian stole the show in Dublin, netting twice in the first half before completing his historic hat-trick in the second half.

Lookman had never scored double figures in a season during his stints with Charlton, Everton, RB Leipzig, Fulham, or Leicester.

However, since joining Atalanta, the Nigerian has netted 15 goals in each of his two seasons with the Italian club.

Gasperini said: “We had a senior manager at Atalanta [Lee Congerton] who had worked at Leicester, who saw the opportunity to bring him in and thought he was a possible useful player.

“Nobody could ever imagine he’d could make this much progress. He wasn’t overly prolific in England. I changed his position to a more attacking role.

“Tonight he achieved something which will remain in the annals of football history – a stunning hat-trick.” He said.

Ademola Lookman became only the sixth player to score a hat-trick in a European final – the first since Jupp Heynckes for Borussia Monchengladbach in the 1975 Uefa Cup.