Former Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro has spoken about Ademola Lookman’s fraught transfer impasse with Atalanta, counselling against snap judgments while acknowledging the player’s strong ambition to join Inter Milan.
Lookman, crowned 2024 CAF Player of the Year, has made no secret of his wish to leave Bergamo. Inter have tabled three bids for the 27-year-old, all rebuffed, with Atalanta reportedly pushing their asking price beyond €55 million.
The Nigerian forward has declined to train or travel with the squad, citing injury recovery in England.
Peseiro, who guided Lookman to the AFCON 2023 final, believes this could be a decisive juncture in the player’s career. “As a kid in England, he was predestined; he grew up hearing people say he would become a Premier League star.
“Then he was no longer summoned, and the consequence was to choose the Nigerian national team. The desire for redemption is born there, now he wants to prove he can play for a top European club like Inter, and for me, it’s completely valid,” he said.
The Portuguese coach confirmed he remains close to Lookman but has chosen not to interfere in the negotiations. “We’re still good today. Right now, I don’t want to disturb him… What I like about him is the ability to shoot – if you give him a yard or two, he immediately finds a corner of the goal.”
While some have criticised Lookman’s stance, Peseiro advised restraint: “I don’t think it’s okay to address his problems with Atalanta publicly… Seen from the outside, the behaviour may not look good, but I can’t judge without knowing all the details.”
Lookman’s representatives are reportedly returning to Italy to try to secure a deal before the window shuts, with Inter eager to pair him alongside Lautaro Martínez and Marcus Thuram.
