Lookman gunning for 40th Atalanta goal and 10th in European Club competitions, hailed as one of World’s best players

Ademola Lookman will be seeking to score his 10th goal in European club competitions and 40th goal for Atalanta if he scores today on his second visit to the MHPArena where he and his Serie A side will face German Bundesliga club, VfB Stuttgart in a UEFA Champions League matchday four fixtures on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old has scored just once and provided an assist in four UEFA Champions League games and nine in 31 games across all European club competitions with his seven goals in 18 Europa League games providing the bulk of the games and the goals, including the hat-trick he scored to inspire Atalanta to the Europa League trophy last season.

Lookman scored his first UEFA Champions League goal last month in Atalanta’s 3-0 defeat of Shakhtar Donetsk in their matchday two fixture at the Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen in Germany, where the Ukrainian side play their home games because of the war with Russia at home.

A goal for the Nigerian will be his 10th in Europe and 40th for Atalanta across all competitions.

Lookman netted 30 of the 39 goals he has so far scored in 70 Serie A games and five in 11 Europa League appearances.

Meanwhile, Atalanta manager, Gian Gasperini says the Nigerian is currently one of the best players in the world, stating the former Bundesliga and Premier League player has developed rapidly since his arrival at the club.

‘He (Lookman) has had a fantastic evolution. Lookman already did well alongside Rasmus Hojlund, then had Gianluca Scamacca and De Ketelaere as partners before Retegui.

‘At this moment, he is among the top players in Europe and that means on the world stage too,’ Gasperini told a press conference the clash with Stuttgart.

‘He is still in the running to win the African Player of the Year Award, but the most important thing is his evolution and consistency.’