• Gasperini insists Lookman has improved

• Ademola Lookman score a hat-trick in the UEL Final

• The Nigerian winger scored 16goals in all competitions last season

Atalanta’s manager Gian Piero Gasperini is delighted with the improvements shown by Ademola Lookman; a struggling player in England to a pivotal figure in Atalanta’s attack.

“Lookman wasn’t a top Player before.” – Gasperini

Lookman’s journey to glory reached its peak in just concluded season as he emerged as Atalanta’s standout performer, guiding the club to their first-ever European title.

Atalanta won the UEFA Europa League crown with a resounding 3-0 victory over German champions Bayer Leverkusen, with Lookman sealing the historic success with a sensational hat-trick.

Reflecting on Lookman’s evolution, Gasperini said, “Lookman is a top player today, but he wasn’t before.”

Gasperini attributed Lookman’s turnaround to painstaking work and patience, likening his approach to that of an artisan craftsman.

The Italian manager insists Lookman’s newfound maturity, evident in his increased involvement in games, desire for the ball, and enhanced teamwork.

“He was strong but tended to light up in flashes and at other times would disappear from the game, he was the same in training sessions.

“I worked with him using the patience of an artisan craftsman, what he did in the last few weeks feels like his maturity.

“He wants the ball, participates in the game, and works with his teammates,” he told Football Italia.