Ademola Lookman return excites Eric Chelle
New Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle is reportedly happy about the return of Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman, SportsRation reports.
The Nigerian player suffered an injury during Atalanta’s match against Napoli in January, which got worse during training before their UEFA Champions League match against Barcelona.
Lookman missed games against Barcelona, Torino, Bologna, and Verona but has now started light training. However, his exact return date is still unclear.
According to Guardian Nigeria, Chelle is pleased that Lookman is back in training. Chelle is set to lead the Super Eagles for the first time in their matches against Rwanda and Zimbabwe in March, 2025.
How important is Lookman for the Super Eagles? Lookman has scored eight goals and provided four assists in 27 appearances for Nigeria. He showed his importance during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, where his three goals and one assist helped Nigeria reach the final.
His great performances in 2024 earned him a place in the Ballon d’Or rankings and a nomination for the 2024 African Player of the Year award. With such achievements, Lookman is a key player that Chelle will want in his squad.
When will Lookman return to action? Atalanta’s manager was recently asked about Lookman’s availability for their Champions League match against Club Brugge. However, he was unsure about the forward’s return.
“Ademola Lookman had an annoying bruise from the Napoli game. We’ll see in the next few days if he’ll be available for Wednesday,” said Gasperini, as quoted by Tutto Atalanta.
