Ademola Lookman has rejoined Atalanta’s first-team squad following his return from international duty with Nigeria.
According to Italian outlet Gazzetta, the 27-year-old forward was back at the club’s training ground on Friday, where he trained under new head coach Ivan Juric for the first time.
Lookman had been sidelined since August after pushing for a transfer to Inter Milan, who reportedly tabled a €45m (£38m/$53m) bid that Atalanta rejected. During that period, the Nigerian trained separately and even removed Atalanta-related photos from his social media accounts.
Despite the fallout, Atalanta have opted against further disciplinary action and have reintegrated him into the squad.
Lookman featured for Nigeria during the September international window, playing 75 minutes against Rwanda and a full 90 minutes against South Africa in World Cup qualifying matches. His availability for Sunday’s Serie A clash with Lecce remains uncertain, though he could be in contention for Atalanta’s Champions League opener against Paris Saint-Germain next Wednesday.
The club remains firm on retaining Lookman, who scored 20 goals across all competitions last season and is seen as central to their ambitions in both Serie A and Europe. The situation mirrors last year, when he was also sidelined during transfer speculation but returned to make a decisive impact on the team’s campaign.
Lookman’s contract with Atalanta runs until June 2027, but his long-term future is still subject to speculation. Juventus are reportedly monitoring him as a potential replacement for Dusan Vlahovic, whose current deal at the Allianz Stadium is not expected to be renewed beyond 2026.
For now, Lookman’s reintegration is a major boost for Atalanta, though questions remain over whether he will stay committed to the Bergamo club in the long run.
