Juric unsure on Lookman future amid Inter links
Atalanta boss Ivan Juric hopes to see more incomings before the end of the transfer deadline but said he is unsure about the future of Ademola Lookman as the deadline for any moves fast approaches.
Lookman has been training separately from the rest of the squad as he looks to force through a move to Inter Milan, which had a bid rejected at the end of last month.
Atalanta's chief executive, Luca Percassi, stated that there had been an agreement that the Nigeria international would only leave for a club outside of Italy's top league.
Juric is hesitant over whether the forward will still make the move before the window shuts, or if he can be reintegrated into the squad for the season ahead.
"I don't know anything about Lookman," the Croatian said ahead of his side's visit to Parma for its next Serie A fixture.
"It's difficult to hazard a guess on what will happen or if he will remain."
Nevertheless, Juric was hopeful of more signings to freshen up a squad that is looking to compete on multiple fronts this season.
"I think that could still get some more moves done before the transfer deadline," he said.
Atalanta began its Serie A campaign with a 1-1 draw away to Pisa, and Juric wants his side to be more clinical as it aims for a first league win of the season against Parma.
"The second half against Pisa was excellent, but the only problem was that we failed to capitalise on our chances," he said.
"We've also got to improve on dealing with the long ball game of opponents."
The Croatian is under no illusions of the threat Parma will pose under new boss Carlos Cuesta, who served as an assistant to Mikel Arteta at Arsenal for five years.
Indeed, Parma won its most recent Serie A match against Atalanta, ending a run of seven successive defeats, and could now win back-to-back matches against it in the competition for the first time since 2013-2014, when it won three.
However, Parma has lost its four Serie A home games against Atalanta by an aggregate score of 13-5.
This weekend's host could suffer five defeats in a row on its own patch against a single opponent for the first time in its top-flight history.
"Parma is a tough opponent," Juric added. "It had the first really big chance of its game against Juventus, even if it eventually lost.
"[Carlos] Cuesta comes from Arsenal, so I expect an aggressive pressing game and danger on set plays.
"We use zonal defending and know how to adjust from game to game.
"Arsenal and in general the Premier League are tactical inspirations for me, there is such a maniacal focus on certain aspects that we don’t really pay attention to."
