'We've lost 90% of our goals!' - Ademola Lookman transfer saga worries Atalanta coach amid Inter stalemate

Atalanta coach Ivan Juric says the club need to make "intelligent" signings to restore their firepower amid Ademola Lookman's transfer saga.

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WHAT HAPPENED?
After appointing Juric as coach this season, the Bergamo side's frontline has been depleted, with the team set to lose one of their most prolific attackers, Lookman, to Inter. The loss of the Nigeria international is a concern for the Croatian coach, who stresses they are in for a tough time forming a top quality attack for the new campaign.

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THE BIGGER PICTURE
With the departure of former head coach Gian Piero Gasperini, a few players also wanted to transfer out of the club. Mateo Retegui, the club's top scorer last season, left for Saudi Arabia for a huge transfer fee. Lookman too has been trying to secure a move to Inter this summer, with the clubs still unable to agree on a deal. However, with the Nigeria forward issuing a public statement regarding his transfer, his time with the club is likely over. Juric understands that after such "a profound cycle ends, many things change," but "intelligent and targeted" signings are essential to replace them.
WHAT JURIC SAID
Lookman and Retegui scored a total of 48 goals and registered 16 assists among them. In an interview with L'Eco di Bergamo,Juric said he understands it's impossible to replace them instantly but smart work can work wonders stating: "We lost 80-90 per cent of the goals we scored last year. Retegui and Lookman were crucial: it won't be easy to replace them, but we need intelligent and targeted work."
However, the Croatian coach has seen some positive signs from Gianluca Scamacca in the training, as he says: "He's given me excellent feedback in recent weeks. I want to include him in the rotation immediately. With so many commitments, however, we will also need another alternative in attack."

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WHAT NEXT FOR ATALANTA?
The newly-appointed coach has a lot of work to be done at the club, and the central theme of it all is to "build a genuine bond, based on commitment and the team's identity." The new manager will kick off his journey on August 25 when he faces Pisa in his first league game of the season.

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