Ademola Lookman may not have started the new season at the level he would have wanted, but Diego Simeone has revealed that Atletico Madrid still value what the Nigerian can bring, especially when the game demands a player who can beat an opponent on his own, Footynaija.com reports.
Lookman joined Atletico from Atalanta in January and made a strong first impression in Spain, scoring nine goals and providing four assists during the second half of last season. His ability to carry the ball, attack defenders and create something from difficult positions quickly gave Simeone another option in the final third.
The start to his first full season has been less productive. Lookman has been used in different attacking roles, including as a centre-forward in Atletico’s opening two league matches, before moving back towards the left against Sevilla. That change brought his first goal of the campaign in a 3-1 victory on August 29.
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He has remained involved since then, starting five of Atletico’s first seven LaLiga matches and making seven appearances in the competition overall. He has one goal from those seven games.
Simeone explains Lookman’s value
Speaking about the Nigerian, Simeone pointed to a quality he feels is not easy to find elsewhere in his squad.
“He is a footballer who has a profile that we don’t have much. He is the most decisive in one-on-one situations on the edge of the box,” Simeone said, with Fichajes revealing the comments.
The Argentine also said that Lookman does not need to play the full match to have an influence.
“We need him, whether it’s 60, 70 minutes or whatever he plays. He has done us very well since he arrived and although his start to the season is not what he would have wanted, we need him.”
The 28-year-old also remains an important player for Nigeria. Lookman recently spoke ahead of the Super Eagles’ opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau, describing both matches as difficult while insisting that the squad wants to win both.
