Aiyegbeni Backs Lookman, urges players to choose agents wisely amid Atalanta fallout

By Dayo Awoniyi

Former Super Eagles striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni has expressed support for Ademola Lookman amid the winger’s ongoing transfer saga and strained relationship with Atalanta FC. Lookman’s situation has been overshadowed by broken promises, a public fallout with manager Gian Piero Gasperini, and stalled negotiations.

Speaking in a live Instagram interview with Germany-based Nigerian journalist Oma Akatugba, Yakubu sympathized with Lookman and stressed the importance for players to select agents with strong networks, proven track records, and integrity—rather than being swayed by big names or empty promises.

“I am sorry for what Ademola Lookman is going through now. That is why I keep encouraging players to always have strong personalities who can handle such cases,” Yakubu said.

He referenced trusted figures like former NFF President Amaju Pinnick and ex-Spanish international Gaizka Mendieta as examples of intermediaries who protect players’ interests.

Yakubu, who represented Nigeria in three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, described Pinnick as a father figure whose advice was pivotal in shaping his career.

“I see Pinnick as my second father. He advised me not to make a hasty decision to join a Qatari club when I had an offer because I was in England and had just one year to become a British citizen. That advice helped me to stay back. Today, I am a British citizen, and a better deal came from China later on,” he shared.

“So, I keep mentioning Pinnick because he helped shape my career in many ways. These are the kinds of people our players need to work with for career advancement,” Yakubu added.

Between 2000 and 2012, Yakubu earned 58 caps and scored 21 goals for the Super Eagles, making him Nigeria’s fourth-highest all-time scorer behind Rashidi Yekini, Victor Osimhen, and Segun Odegbami.

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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