Atalanta’s manager, Gian Piero Gasperini, has lauded Ademola Lookman, asserting that the Nigerian forward is currently among the best players in the world. Lookman, who finished 14th in the 2024 Ballon d’Or rankings, earned significant recognition for his stellar performance in the UEFA Europa League final, where he scored a remarkable hat-trick against Bayer Leverkusen.

The 27-year-old winger is now a strong contender for the African Player of the Year award, further underlining his outstanding form. This past weekend, Lookman added another highlight to his season with a brilliant first-half brace in Atalanta’s dominant 3-0 victory over Napoli.

Gasperini highlighted Lookman’s impressive development since joining the club, noting how the winger has thrived alongside various attacking partners. “Lookman has undergone a fantastic evolution since his arrival,” said Gasperini. “He initially performed well with Rasmus Højlund, then had Gianluca Scamacca and Charles De Ketelaere as teammates, and now he’s building chemistry with Mateo Retegui.”

The manager further emphasized that Lookman’s current form places him among Europe’s elite players, which, in turn, puts him on the global stage. “At this moment, he is among the top players in Europe, and that status naturally extends to the world stage as well,” Gasperini remarked during a press conference ahead of Atalanta’s upcoming UEFA Champions League clash with Stuttgart.

Despite Lookman’s strong candidacy for the African Player of the Year award, Gasperini stressed that what truly matters is the player’s ongoing evolution and consistency, which have been key to his rapid rise.