Arsenal legend Ian Wright has urged the Gunners to pay special attention to Atalanta star Ademola Lookman when they travel to Gewiss Stadium for their UEFA Champions League opener on Thursday, September 19. Wright heaped praise on the former Charlton Athletic man, saying he is delighted to see how far the forward has come.
Premier League giants Arsenal will begin their UEFA Champions League journey with a clash against Serie A outfit Atalanta this week. The North Londoners are coming into the game in high spirits, having claimed a 1-0 win over local rivals Tottenham Hotspur in their last Premier League outing. With 10 points to their name after four top-flight matches, Mikel Arteta and Co. are sitting in second place in the Premier League rankings.
Atalanta, meanwhile, has endured a disappointing start to the 2024-25 season. The Lombardy-based club began with a 2-0 defeat to Real Madrid in the UEFA Super Cup but bounced back with a 4-0 win over Lecce in the Serie A opener. The following two matches, however, were disappointing, as Atalanta succumbed to consecutive defeats against Torino and Inter Milan. They got the show back on the road last weekend, claiming a 3-2 victory over Fiorentina.
Ian Wright Thinks Ademola Lookman Can Trouble Arsenal In UEFA Champions League Clash
Lookman was one of Atalanta’s standout performers as they beat Fiorentina on Sunday, with him chipping in with a delightful assist to Mateo Retegui and scoring the winner in first-half injury time.
Wright, who won the 1997-98 Premier League title with Arsenal, admitted he was worried about Lookman ahead of the Champions League clash.
Speaking on the ‘Wrighty’s House’ podcast, he said (via TBR Football):
“Oh gosh, did you see his first assist with the way he just flicked it? So good. It’s really beautiful football, I’m so pleased for him. Yeah, he worries me.
“But we’ve got Ben White on that side, if he’s going to be on that side. And you know what? I’m pleased for him. His journey, where he’s gone, what he’s doing now, you could see a big move, you could see a move for him.”
He added:
“I’d love him to stay there, he’s been so good at Atalanta. The way he’s worked up, all the way from Charlton, all the way to where he is now. You’d believe that Atalanta is not his final destination in his mind, as great as it can be for them.
“And it’s not disrespectful, but like he’s got a level of playing now where you can see why people would say, I could, yeah I could use him.”
Lookman, who was reportedly on Arsenal’s radar, has been at Atalanta since the summer of 2022. He has so far played 80 games for the club in all competitions, scoring 33 times and providing 19 assists.
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