Simeone: Lookman Fits Atlético Madrid Perfectly

Ademola Lookman’s journey from Everton prospect to Atlético Madrid star has been anything but straightforward, but Diego Simeone believes the Nigerian forward has finally found the perfect stage to showcase his talent.

Lookman, who joined Everton in January 2017 with high expectations, struggled to make a lasting impact at Goodison Park, scoring just four times in 48 appearances before being sold in 2019.

His career took off at Atalanta, where he became a household name after netting a hat‑trick in the Europa League final against Bayer Leverkusen.

Now 28, Lookman has made a blistering start to life in Spain. Since joining Atlético Madrid for £34 million, he has already registered six goal involvements in his first six matches, including another strike in the recent win over Espanyol.

Simeone was quick to praise his new signing after the game.

‘He fits the team perfectly,’ Simeone said. ‘We just need him to add more collective defensive work to his attacking quality and fully embrace the team spirit that’s always been essential for us. He has different qualities compared to our other forwards.

‘He’s more of a specialist in one‑on‑ones than in combination play, even though he can do that as well, and he immediately made a very good impact on the team.’