Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman is set to depart from the Serie A club this summer following a heated exchange with manager Gian Piero Gasperini over a costly Champions League penalty miss.
The controversy emerged after Atalanta's unexpected Champions League elimination by Club Brugge, where they suffered a 5-2 aggregate defeat in their play-off tie. Despite coming off the bench to score what became the fastest second-half substitute goal in Champions League history - finding the net just 34 seconds after his introduction - Lookman's performance was overshadowed by a crucial penalty miss.
The incident sparked tension when Lookman apparently took the spot-kick responsibility away from designated takers Charles De Ketelaere and Mateo Retegui. This decision proved costly, as his attempt was saved, leading to harsh criticism from Gasperini, who publicly declared him "one of the worst penalty takers I've ever seen."
The 27-year-old forward, who had never previously missed a penalty for Atalanta, responded to his manager's comments, describing them as "disrespectful" and asserting that he had been instructed to take the penalty. According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, while Lookman intends to clarify the situation with Gasperini, he is already planning his exit from the club this summer, a move he had been considering even before this incident.
The tension comes at a crucial time for Atalanta, who are currently in the midst of a title race, sitting third in Serie A, just five points behind leaders Napoli. With an important fixture against Empoli approaching this Sunday, the club's supporters are hoping both parties can move past this public disagreement for the team's benefit.
Lookman's potential departure would be a significant loss for Atalanta, where he has established himself as an important player. The current situation marks an unfortunate turn in what has otherwise been a successful spell for the forward at the Italian club.
