Former Super Eagles striker Odion Ighalo has explained why he believes Ademola Lookman is only going to get better at Atletico Madrid, pointing to Diego Simeone as the reason, Footynaija.com reports.
Lookman’s move to the Spanish capital was a long time coming. He spent over a year pushing to leave Atalanta, who blocked a move to Inter Milan last summer and insisted on their valuation for months after that.
When the deal finally went through, it felt like the natural end to a saga that had dragged on far too long. He has since made up for lost time, scoring four goals and providing two assists in six appearances across all competitions, including goals on his Copa del Rey and Champions League debuts for the club.
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Ighalo’s verdict
Ighalo, who spent time in La Liga himself during his career at Granada, knows what it takes to settle into Spanish football and believes the 28-year-old has all it takes to thrive in Simeone’s system.
“Lookman is a good player, and moving to La Liga is a good step for his career, because he performed well in Italy, and now he has joined Atletico Madrid, one of the big clubs in Spain,” the former Manchester United striker said in a report by TV360 Nigeria.
“I think that playing under Diego Simeone will be very beneficial for him, because he is a very tactical and intelligent coach. I see this as a good step for his professional career.”
Simeone himself has already challenged Lookman to work harder off the ball and improve the defensive side of his game, which tells you the coach sees a player with even more to give. If Ighalo is right, Atletico fans have not seen the best of him yet.
