Italian Serie A club Atalanta have officially confirmed their decision regarding the availability of Nigerian forward Ademola Lookman for the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Morocco.
Release Timeline and Impact on Egypt Friendly
Atalanta will release the 28-year-old Super Eagles attacker to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) following their league fixture against Cagliari on December 13. This schedule means Lookman is highly unlikely to feature in Nigeria's planned high-profile international friendly match against Egypt, which is scheduled for December 14.
Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has announced that the national team's training camp will open in Egypt on December 10. Nigeria's first AFCON 2025 group stage match is against Tanzania on December 23.
Lookman's Form and Nigeria's AFCON Ambitions
After a challenging start to the current season, Ademola Lookman has rediscovered his scoring touch under new Atalanta manager Raffaele Palladino. The winger has contributed two goals and an assist in his last three appearances for the Bergamo-based club.
Lookman was Nigeria's standout performer at the last AFCON edition, where the Super Eagles finished as runners-up to hosts Ivory Coast. He was the team's top scorer, netting a crucial brace against Cameroon in the round of 16 and the winning goal against Angola in the quarter-final.
Following Nigeria's failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, winning a fourth continental title at AFCON 2025 has become the paramount objective for the three-time champions.
Tournament Draw and Squad Confidence
The Super Eagles have been drawn in Group C of AFCON 2025 alongside Tanzania, Uganda, and Tunisia. The tournament is scheduled to run from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, in Morocco.
Teammate Alex Iwobi has already expressed strong confidence in Nigeria's chances, publicly stating the team has the quality to win the trophy. Coach Eric Chelle is expected to rely heavily on the experience and current form of Lookman, the 2024 CAF Player of the Year, in their quest for glory.
In a recent interview after scoring in the UEFA Champions League for Atalanta, Lookman emphasized his focus on hard work and team results, signaling his readiness for the challenges ahead with both club and country.
