'He can win African POTY' - Atalanta coach backs Lookman to succeed Osimhen as best African player

Speaking at a press conference ahead of his side's UEFA Champions League clash against Stuttgart at MHPArena, Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini believes Ademola Lookman can succeed Napoli loanee Victor Osimhen as the best African player. 

Lookman is the bookies favourite to win the African Footballer of the Year but the forward has to see off competition from international teammate William Troost-Ekong, who was named Most Valuable Player of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, as well as Bayer Leverkusen's Burkina Faso international Edmond Tapsoba and Paris Saint-Germain's Morocco star Achraf Hakimi.

The other contenders for the award are: Amine Gouiri (Algeria / Rennes), Simon Adingra (Cote d'Ivoire / Brighton & Hove Albion), Chancel Mbemba (DR Congo / Olympique Marseille), Serhou Guirassy (Guinea / Borussia Dortmund), Soufiane Rahimi (Morocco / Al Ain) and Ronwen Williams (South Africa / Mamelodi Sundowns).

Lookman scored seventeen goals from 45 appearances across all competitions last season while producing ten assists and was named Atalanta's Player of the Year.

On the international stage, he was a key player as Nigeria reached the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations final, scoring three times in seven games and was included in the official Team of the Tournament. 

In quotes relayed by Calciomercato, Gian Piero Gasperini said: "I don't make rankings, but he has had a fantastic evolution. He had already done well in a pair with Hojlund, then he had Scamacca and De Ketelaere before Retegui. 

"At the moment he has grown and is among the top: when you are in the European championships you are also at world level. 

"He can win the African Golden Ball , but the most important thing is his evolution and his continuity".

In the Ballon d'Or rankings, Lookman finished above notable Premier League players like Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Martin Odegaard (Arsenal), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ruben Dias (Manchester City), William Saliba (Arsenal), Cole Palmer (Chelsea) and Declan Rice (Arsenal).

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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