Atletico Madrid are reportedly displeased with how Ademola Lookman was deployed by Nigeria during the March international break.
The Spanish club, who signed Lookman for €35 million after his standout performances at the 2025 AFCON, have been carefully managing the forward’s playing time since his arrival.
Under head coach Diego Simeone, the 28-year-old has not completed a full match for Atletico, with his longest appearance being 73 minutes in a Copa del Rey win over Barcelona.
However, on international duty with the Super Eagles, Lookman played extensively, logging 89 minutes against Iran and completing the full 90 minutes against Jordan.
Reports from Spanish outlet AS indicate that Atletico consider the workload in these friendlies excessive, worrying that it could affect his fitness at a critical stage of the season. The club reportedly believes the matches could have been used to rotate players rather than rely so heavily on one individual.
Concerns are heightened due to ongoing injury issues in the squad, leaving head coach Simeone under pressure as the team faces a busy fixture list, including clashes against Barcelona, Sevilla, Real Sociedad, Elche, and Athletic Club, increasing the risk of player fatigue.