Atletico Madrid head coach Diego Simeone was on media duties on Tuesday ahead of his side's La Liga opener against Malaga at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on Wednesday night.
One of the questions the Argentine tactician was asked was about the role he wants Ademola Lookman to play in the 2026/27 season, particularly following the departures and arrivals at Los Rojiblancos.
Atletico Madrid have brought in Cristian Romero, Morten Hjulmand, Kang-in Lee and Alejandro Grimaldo from Tottenham Hotspur, Sporting CP, PSG and Bayer Leverkusen respectively, while Arnau Ortiz has been promoted to the first team.
Thiago Almada, Nahuel Molina, Julio Díaz and Antoine Griezmann have left Atletico, while Julián Álvarez has been heavily linked with a departure from the club, with Barcelona and Arsenal among the teams reportedly interested in his services.
When asked about Lookman’s role, Diego Simeone stopped short of providing a specific answer, instead highlighting the challenges of integrating several players into his squad.
He told reporters: "We're in the process of settling in really. The truth is among the players who played in the World Cup, and there were many of them, and their arrival. Some arrived later, others earlier. Kang-in started training with us when we went to Korea. Romero arrived recently.
"The truth is we are in the process of adjusting what we are going to do, where we are going to go, and obviously we are going to need the time that we don't have because tomorrow we compete but that is the reality."
Lookman is capable of operating in several attacking positions, including on either flank and in more central areas.
With Álvarez and the injured Alexander Sørloth unavailable for selection against Málaga, Lookman is widely expected to lead Atletico's attack as the most advanced forward.
Ifeanyi Emmanuel
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