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Ademola Lookman returns as Atalanta cruise past Torino

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Ademola Lookman returns as Atalanta cruise past Torino

By Oluwadamilola Olaeye

Nigeria international Ademola Lookman made his long-awaited return for Atalanta on Saturday, featuring in the closing stages of their comfortable Serie A win over Torino at the Stadio Olimpico Grande.

The Nigerian forward came off the bench in the 87th minute to replace Kamaldeen Sulemana, marking his first competitive appearance for La Dea since his transfer standoff with Inter Milan collapsed in the summer.

His introduction drew a mixed reaction from sections of the Atalanta supporters, with both boos and applause echoing around the stadium.

Lookman’s absence had dominated headlines in Bergamo after he pushed for a switch to Inter during the window, even skipping two weeks of training before rejoining the squad.

Though he was formally registered for the season, concerns over his commitment kept him out of matchday squads until now.

With Atalanta eyeing another strong domestic and European campaign, head coach Ivan Juric is expected to reintegrate Lookman fully into the side as they balance Serie A and Europa League ambitions.

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Samuel Ahmadu
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
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