'We also see Newcastle, Brentford' – Atalanta coach addresses Lookman transfer scandal

A new chapter begins for Atalanta on Sunday evening as Ivan Jurić prepares to take charge of his first Serie A match since replacing Gian Piero Gasperini at the helm of the 2024 Europa League winners.

Atalanta will kick off their 2025–26 Serie A campaign with a home fixture against Pisa at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo.

The build-up has been overshadowed by the ongoing transfer saga involving reigning African Footballer of the Year Ademola Lookman. 

The Nigeria international was fined for fifteen days of unjustified absence following a failed move to Inter Milan and only returned to Italy on Tuesday. 

Lookman will continue to train separately from the main squad until the close of the summer transfer window. 

Addressing the controversy in his pre-match press conference, Jurić drew comparisons with similar situations elsewhere in Europe, citing Sweden international Alexander Isak and Brentford’s Yoane Wissa, both of whom went on strike in an attempt to force transfers to Liverpool and Newcastle United respectively.

"I think this situation has been created in recent years now with various players, not just Atalanta, we also see Newcastle, Brentford, and the ones that are really penalised are the fans," Jurić told reporters. 

"Because in any case the clubs and agents look after their own interests. And instead the fans put their emotions and heart into it and are left feeling bad.

"And then there is always a struggle between, as you said before, total honesty, emotion, reasoning about what's best to achieve results, and the game in the end is what you want in your club.”

Lookman has been named in Nigeria's provisional squad for the upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda's Wasps and South Africa's Bafana Bafana.

With the forward missing pre-season fixtures and set to sit out Atalanta's clashes with Pisa and Parma, there are concerns that he may lack full match fitness before he reports for international duty next week.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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