Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has disclosed that Ademola Lookman’s quality makes him too important to be sidelined.
Recall that Lookman was part of the Super Eagles squad that played against Rwanda and South Africa, respectively, in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers despite not featuring for Atalanta in the Serie A during his transfer saga.
In a chat with AfricaFoot, Chelle praised Lookman’s determination and hard work during his tough period.
“Apparently, each is taking a step towards the other, and that’s good news.From what I know, Lookman was supposed to leave last summer, but his management refused, which affected him a lot, as I saw during the meeting last September.
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“Lookman is a great player, but also a quiet, introverted man who doesn’t let his emotions show. I think his management and coaching staff understood that the team needed him, and Ademola needs to play.
“To those who were surprised, I replied that it was difficult to do without a player of this level, and Lookman was in good shape, that he was training hard, because he is a great professional, very demanding of himself.
“I had spoken with him before the gathering, and I knew that I could trust him. Initially, I thought that because of his lack of rhythm, he would only be able to play about thirty minutes. It is in the best interest of the club and the player that Ademola plays again.”
