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Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has revealed plans to tailor a specific tactical role for new signing Ademola Lookman, admitting that he needs time to fully integrate the Super Eagles forward into his system despite a sensational debut.
Speaking ahead of Sunday’s La Liga clash against Real Betis, the Argentine tactician emphasized that the club is still in the process of discovering the best way to deploy Lookman, whose versatility offers multiple attacking options.
Lookman, who joined the Spanish giants from Atalanta in a winter transfer deal worth €35m (potentially rising to €40m), wasted no time announcing his arrival.
In Thursday’s Copa del Rey thrashing of Real Betis, the 28-year-old scored and provided an assist in a 5-0 victory, earning rave reviews from fans and pundits alike.
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The goal was a personal milestone for Lookman, his 100th career strike making him the first Nigerian to score in the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A, and now the Copa del Rey.
It also maintained his incredible record of scoring on his debut for his last four clubs: Everton, RB Leipzig, Atalanta, and Atletico Madrid.
Despite the immediate impact, Simeone insists there is more to come as they unlock his full potential.
”We’ll try to get to know each other better. He’ll get to know the team, and we’ll get to know his strengths. He has the vision to attack, and we’ll work with the team to find the best approach,” Simeone told reporters.
The Atletico boss highlighted Lookman’s unique profile compared to the rest of the squad.
“His characteristics speak for themselves. He is a different player to all the ones we have, a specialist in one-on-one duels, although he also has associative play.
“That allows us to play with different positions… Hopefully, we can help him to be an even better footballer and he can help us to grow as a team,” Simeone explained.
The Nigerian international was officially cleared to feature in La Liga on Friday morning after his registration was finalized, becoming the 44th Nigerian to play in the Spanish top flight and only the second to wear the colors of Atletico Madrid.
Lookman, who was named the 2024 African Footballer of the Year, expressed his delight at the warm reception in Madrid.
“Very proud, very happy for my debut, especially for the performance of the team. Everyone in the dressing room welcomed me in a very affectionate way,” he said.
With his name also added to Atletico’s Champions League squad, fans will be eager to see how Simeone’s “best tactic” evolves in the coming weeks as the club chases domestic and European glory.
