Atalanta manager, Ivan Juric has confirmed in a pre-match press conference that Ademola Lookman will be back in the squad for their Serie A clash against Torino on Sunday.
The last time Lookman featured for Atalanta was on May 25th last season.
Since July, he had stopped training with the team after openly expressing his desire to leave the club.
However, Lookman returned to training this week and, reportedly, has addressed the situation directly with head coach Ivan Juric.
“He’s spoken with me, the team and my staff. He was well received and from tomorrow, he will begin to be available to us. He’s not in the best condition given that he’s been training alone up until now. He did very well in training on Friday.”
Atalanta have struggled in Lookman’s absence so far this season. In their three Serie A matches, the Bergamo side has managed just one win and two draws.
Their recent game, a 4-0 defeat in the UEFA Champions League has intensified concerns about his absence, prompting fans to pressure the board to reintegrate him into the squad.
Juric deploys a 3-4-2-1 formation, a system different from the back-four setup Lookman has mostly played in, both at club level and with the Nigerian national team.
However, his versatility allows him to play as a forward, an attacking midfielder behind the striker, or even as a wing back who mostly pushes high up the pitch.
It’s unlikely Juric will start him against Torino, but he is expected to get minutes off the bench which will help him in rebuilding match fitness.
Last season, he recorded an impressive 20 goals and 7 assists across all competitions for Atalanta.
