Atalanta warning for Lookman: ‘Must be ready to give 100 per cent’

Atalanta director Luca Percassi reiterated the club’s position to freeze out Ademola Lookman after Ivan Juric’s damning statements. ‘We need players who are ready to give 100 per cent.’

The game with Lecce kicks off at the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo at 14.00 UK time (13.00 GMT).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from today’s five Serie A games on the LIVEBLOG.

Atalanta are still looking for their first victory of the new season after a pair of disappointing stalemates against Pisa and Parma.

Their summer was dominated by the saga around Lookman, who tried and failed to force through a transfer to Inter, going AWOL for two weeks only to recently return to training.

He was expected to be back in the squad today, but coach Juric declared he would not ‘beg’ the player to participate, suggesting an attitude problem.

Lookman continuing to cause problems for frustrated Atalanta

“I don’t have much to add to what the coach already said. Obviously, we are in total agreement with his comments,” Percassi told DAZN Italia.

“We know how important Lookman is for Atalanta, but the club has some very basic principles, which is it needs players who are ready to give 100 per cent for this jersey and totally concentrated on our cause, because every game is difficult.

“So the decision was made not to call up Ademola due to his situation, and we are focused on this tough game.”

Juric is a newcomer to the side too, having replaced his mentor Gian Piero Gasperini following nine years of success in Bergamo.

“The history of this club is a battling spirit, and the coach fully embodies that idea, which is why we chose him. This is what the fans expect too, regardless of the quality of the individual players. We know every match is difficult, but our fans have always cheered us on, and we’ve got to inspire them.”