Ivan Juric explains Ademola Loomank's 'awkward' situation with Atalanta as transfer battle rages on

Ivan Juric, Atalanta's head coach, has revealed the tricky situation that Ademola Lookman is currently in as his transfer battle with Atalanta continues, Nigeriasoccernet.com reports.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with L'Eco di Bergamo, the former Southampton boss admitted that the Nigerian winger spoke to him when he newly arrived at the club, but he has since not had another opportunity with him due to his injury and his long-term absence from training in a bid to force his exit.

“Ademola was very fair with me; he explained his thoughts to me. We have to accept the situation. It's a shame it's come to this. I coached the team when he had a calf problem, and after that, all this happened. So it didn't have any impact.

"We've lost players who have produced 80-90% of our goals, and it won't be easy to replace them. I don't think anyone will arrive who can match Retegui or Lookman's performances in one fell swoop, but we need to strengthen ourselves intelligently and expand our options. Those who are already here can grow and get closer to that level," he admitted.

Negotiations between Atalanta and Inter Milan have hit a standstill after Atalanta turned down a €45 million bid from the Nerazzurri for Ademola Lookman. Despite the lack of progress, Inter remains keen on securing the 27-year-old forward and has not given up on bringing him to San Siro.

On the player's side, Lookman has made his intentions clear, actively pushing for a departure from Atalanta. He has submitted a formal transfer request and has been notably absent from team training sessions in recent weeks, underlining his determination to force a move.

By Oluwadamilola Olaleye