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Leipzig signal desire to keep Lookman

Lyndon Lloyd Thursday, 19 April, 2018 62comments  |  Jump to most recent

Ademola Lookman has scored twice in seven appearances in the Bundesliga since joining Leipzig on loan in January

Red Bull Leipzig would be keen to sign Ademola Lookman on a permanent basis but their sporting director admits the decision would rest with Everton.

Lookman made a surprising loan move to the Bundesliga side on transfer deadline day in January after growing frustrated with his lack of first-team opportunities at Goodison Park following the arrival of Sam Allardyce.

The 20-year-old forward scored on his debut for Leipzig and struck his second goal in seven games this past weekend and it appears as though Ralf Rangnick has seen enough that he would like to retain the player if possible.

No clause regarding a permanent switch was inserted in the loan deal between the two clubs, however, meaning that the decision would be up to Everton and might rest on whether Sam Allardyce remains as Blues manager.

"If it were down to us, I'd already know the answer," Rangnick told kicker, “but it's not only down to us. We have no clause in the contract.

"I think that we can only answer the question once the season's finished. It also depends on what happens at Everton.

"Mola has shown that he is more than just a desperate last-minute signing.

"How he played during the second half at Bremen, I really liked that. And not only because he scored that goal."

Lookman was signed during Ronald Koeman's tenure as Everton boss and also scored on his debut for the Toffees in that memorable 4-0 drubbing of Manchester City.

He was a key member of England's World Cup-winning U20s side last summer but found it difficult holding down a first-team place at Goodison Park earlier this season as the team as a whole struggled for form.

Two goals in the Europa League dead rubber against Apollon Limassol in Nicosia and a sparkling cameo off the bench in the cup derby at Anfield weren't enough to convince Allardyce that he was more worthy of regular action than the older guard in the team and he took the chance to join Leipzig on loan instead.

Quotes sourced from kicker, via ESPN

Reader Comments (62)

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Geoff Risebrow
1 Posted 19/04/2018 at 15:46:12
It would be nice to see him get a chance for us under a manager who actually attacks and tries to win a game of football!
Ajay Gopal
2 Posted 19/04/2018 at 15:47:35
This disaster of a season has damaged Everton in so many ways, it will take years to recover. Holding on to our more desirable assets like Lookman will depend heavily on who Mosh appoints as the new manager. This summer is crucial, again.
Andrew Merrick
3 Posted 19/04/2018 at 15:51:40
We can't let our emerging players go on permanent deals away.

So much rebuilding of the squad is needed, whoever is in charge...

Len Hawkins
4 Posted 19/04/2018 at 15:53:09
Perhaps sending Bolasie as a consolation would do'em – the black McGeady?
John Pierce
5 Posted 19/04/2018 at 15:56:37
I think Lookman made it clear how he felt about a team and manager who aren't geared to his strengths.

By no means has he been the first name on the team sheet at RB but he's been consistently involved, getting minutes improving and allowed to express himself.

I'm not even saying he's the real deal – it's so hard to tell at his age – but his attitude has shown many of his Evertonian teammates up.

If he leaves and goes on to be a decent player, Everton will have only themselves to blame. Imagine him, Onerkyru, & Sigurdsson behind a decent striker?

Tony Graham
6 Posted 19/04/2018 at 15:57:02
Get yer season ticket! Sam says he's staying...
Alan J Thompson
7 Posted 19/04/2018 at 16:06:21
We could never attract players like this... why would they come to us?

Oh, hang on a minute. Let's have a survey!

Adam Baig
8 Posted 19/04/2018 at 16:23:38
Interesting that he says that it depends on what happens at Everton...

Thomas Surgenor
9 Posted 19/04/2018 at 16:49:50
It wasn't that long ago that I was hoping Ralf Rangnick would get the Everton job. He is now praising Mola.

Would love to see him get a go with us next season. Offers a bit of pace and directness. I'll admit, he can be frustrating and he can go missing but he is also capable of the sublime. Rather him than Yannick if I'm honest.

Brian Porter
10 Posted 19/04/2018 at 17:12:39
Just shows Allardyce up even more. A Champions League club wants him but he can't even make the matchday squad under our twat of a manager.
Rob Dolby
11 Posted 19/04/2018 at 17:23:35
If we did sell him, what would be the price 㿙m? is probably the going rate given similar transfers. Leipzig wouldn't pay that much, maybe it's a ploy to unsettle him so that he pushes for a move.

Don't get me wrong – I do rate him but If he doesn't want to play for us, then sell him. We want players with hunger and determination; we have too many passengers already.

Steve Ferns
12 Posted 19/04/2018 at 18:26:43
He needs a run in the first team. I'd have him, Sandro, and Vlasic vying for the left forward position in a 4-3-3 next season. Lookman is the best of the three for me too.
Brian Cleveland
13 Posted 19/04/2018 at 18:32:25
Rob #11 "We want players with hunger and determination"... that is exactly why he went out on loan, because he HAS that. AND he had the balls to do it somewhere outside of his comfort zone, that's great attitude from a kid.

He wants to play, and if our current setup doesn't seem to rate him, he'll go somewhere he is appreciated.

I want him back and given a chance to show that hunger and determination with us... but it won't happen under the current regime it seems.

(Survey - 0 points if I'd received one!)

Hugh Jenkins
14 Posted 19/04/2018 at 19:18:06
Rob (#11). From the comments I seem to recall at the time, he does want to play for us – but, more importantly for him, he does want to play.

I believe he said at the time of his loan that his "heart is at Everton", but that he wanted to go to Leipzig to get playing time – which he obviously wasn't getting under Sam Allardyce.

Tony Everan
15 Posted 19/04/2018 at 19:24:55
The loan spell will have done him good, he will come back a better player and more mature .

Under no circumstances should he be sold off, we can see the talent and the shrewdies at Leipzig can see it too.

When Sam is out of the picture in a few weeks time it will be good to see Ademola back and fighting for a starting place in pre season.

With another season under his belt he will be more able to offer a significant contribution over the 90 minutes and not just sporadically.

I would say he may be the best of our young talent and I am looking forward to his continued progress in a BLUE shirt.

Nick Lacey
16 Posted 19/04/2018 at 19:31:17
This kid is the future. Under no circumstances should we be selling him, if we do, it will bite us in the bottom in the future. I might sound a little over the top, but I truly believe that he will be one of the best English players of a generation.

If he was playing for the Red Shite, they'd have him playing minutes every week. It seems a shame that over the past few years, Everton don't seem to like skilful unpredictable players.

Frank Wade
17 Posted 19/04/2018 at 19:55:53
I really hope he comes back next season. He'll be a much better more confident player with this experience. I've been totally underwhelmed and disappointed by Bolasie. Lookman offers a lot more, as does Vlasic.
Andy Kay
18 Posted 19/04/2018 at 20:48:43
It's time to give these kids a chance. Our best years in the mid-eighties had Radcliffe as captain at 23! Heath, Richardson, Steven, Stevens, Irvine, Sharp and Mountfield and Southall – all good enough to win silverware before they were they were 26. Even the elder statesman of Reid and Gray were only late 20s despite looking older.

Jagielka is 36! Would anyone really think that Lookman would've been worse than Bolasie this season? Would playing Davies ahead of Schneiderlin been a disaster? Holgate instead of Williams? Jonjoe Kenny has done a great job as Coleman's stand-in and can push him all the way for a starting place.

When people talk of loaning Calvert-Lewin to a Championship side, when we're hardly blessed with strikers, makes me laugh. Get them in the team ahead of some of the deadwood stealing a living. It's the only way we're ever going to build a team.

Colin Glassar
19 Posted 19/04/2018 at 21:15:27
Counting the days until the unnameable leaves our club and these young players can start enjoying their football.
David Hallwood
20 Posted 19/04/2018 at 21:21:49
This season is the gift that just keeps giving...
Joe McMahon
21 Posted 19/04/2018 at 21:29:37
This is depressing, the only outfield player who genuinely is exciting, he has pace and we don't have much of it.

Since 1976, I've been supporting this club, and this the worst it's ever been. Everything Everton is plain awful these days. Moshiri needs to act, and be decisive.

Anthony Hawkins
22 Posted 19/04/2018 at 21:34:32
Utter madness. Lookman is the type of player the first team is desperately lacking! Give Lookman some time with Walcott and we'll see how the squad fares with two wide forward players.

Tosun and Niasse have been missing service.

Phillip Warrington
23 Posted 19/04/2018 at 21:36:12
If Sam is in charge he would rubber stamp the move and swap him for a 32-year-old defensive forward.
Mike Gaynes
24 Posted 19/04/2018 at 21:47:14
Delighted Ragnick likes him so much. A fine endorsement from a manager who, unlike our current and former, has the qualifications to judge.

Do not sell this kid. No. Period.

Dave Abrahams
25 Posted 19/04/2018 at 21:49:34
Brian (#13), well said. I think this lad is going to be a very good player, just needs a manager who will trust him and give him opportunities – a natural footballer.
Sean Chen
26 Posted 19/04/2018 at 22:23:04
I hope not. Everton owe it to us fans to see if Ademola Lookman has a place in our first team squad for the 2018-19 season.
Gavin Johnson
27 Posted 19/04/2018 at 22:26:40
Another reason why Allardyce has to go this summer. If he stays on as manager, he'll probably sell Lookman.
Chris Jones [NZ]
28 Posted 19/04/2018 at 22:30:58
Yeah Ralf, you can manage the lad next season. Just come back to Finch Farm with him...
Jamie Crowley
29 Posted 19/04/2018 at 23:07:27
Mike Gaynes @ 24,

I couldn't agree more. If we sell this kid, it's a travesty.

Mike Doyle
30 Posted 19/04/2018 at 23:31:03
I hope Lookman gets a chance next season. He may be a bit of a rough diamond but so was Seamus in his first year or two. He has to be better than Bolasie who is, frankly, awful. I work with a couple of Palace fans who still pinch themselves that anyone was willing to pay what we did for a guy who was one of their squad players.
Jerome Shields
31 Posted 19/04/2018 at 23:37:37
Not surprised. Lookman will want to stay. Good career move, which Big Sam advised him against, but he stuck to his guns and insisted he would go.

This is what a good professional footballer does when he realises that the Manager is not up to the job. There will be others in the same frame of mind. A good professional footballer would not join the present regime at Everton.

This is the damage that a Manager like Allardyce can do to Everton if he is allowed to stay. Never mind how a team Managed by him would play next season. That is immaterial to the damage such an idiot could inflict,

Mike Keating
32 Posted 19/04/2018 at 23:54:16
Yes Mike @ 30 and Seamus had to go out on loan before he returned a better player but this was not part of Sam's plan – Lookman had to do it for himself.

As regards Bolasie, I and many others at the time baulked at the 㿅m+ we paid for him. (Zaha or even Townsend were better bets and cheaper at the time.) So, unfortunately, we seem to be getting proved right – although that does nothing to deter Allardyce from picking him every game.

John Kavanagh
33 Posted 19/04/2018 at 23:55:27
One of the few players prepared to take on the opposition and have shots on goal. The only times we have played with anything like energy and commitment was when we had the youngsters on the pitch – working for each other and the team. 'Chemistry' as Baines and Cahill would call it.

We do have the nucleus of a good young team – Pickford, Kenny, Holgate, Davies, Baningime, Vlasic, Calvert-Lewin – with Dowell to return and Onyekuru looking very promising up until his injury. Under Captain Coleman and even a half decent manager, there's enough there to give supporters something positive to shout about. Unfortunately, we don't have a half-decent manager. If only they'd given Unsy a few home games to make his mark.

Most of the 'experienced' players have let themselves and the club down. Talked big and delivered little. Time to get most of them off the wage bill and give the kids the opportunity.

ps: There isn't a club in Europe whose accountants don't light up when they hear the magic words 'We've got Everton on the phone about.....'

Roman Sidey
34 Posted 20/04/2018 at 00:20:39
Nick Lacey (#16), that is bang on. You just know that, if a player like Lookman were at Liverpool, Arsenal or even to a lesser extent Man Utd, he'd be involved in a lot more matches, and those clubs, arguably, have a lot more to play for once the dust has settled on their seasons than our mid-table obscurity.

I want this kid to stay more than anything, but I don't think the damning of the club will be on whether they sell him, but rather if Lookman himself is the one who wants to leave. Don't get me wrong, both scenarios would be dreadful, but if a young player like him would rather leave the club that took a gamble on him and made him a (bit of a) household name, that would be a very deep cut.

Lewis Barclay
35 Posted 20/04/2018 at 01:23:31
If we lose this kid for less than 㿀m, I think it could be the worst business we've done all season.

He is mustard and I reckon he will end up playing for any of the top 5 Premier League teams.

Mike Gaynes
36 Posted 20/04/2018 at 01:33:00
Lewis... mustard?

Definition, please.

Forgive the question, but I'm always playing ketchup on British slang, and I'm in a pickle on this one.

Jack Convery
38 Posted 20/04/2018 at 06:54:19
Lookman – if he goes, I go – got it?

If Fat Sam stays, you can turn the lights off cos no-one will be around to watch. Got it?

Allardyce Out – Got it !

Nil Points – Got it.

No. I bet you don't... After all, it's EFC I'm talking to.

Brian Porter
39 Posted 20/04/2018 at 08:38:10
Fat prat Allardyce says he would listen to offers for Lookman. He obviously doesn't like the lad, despite his enormous potential. No, fucking Allardyce would rather play the useless Bolasie who he says 'cost more money'.

So we know how he picks his team. All based on transfer value rather than ability. Nice one Sam. How many more of our future stars will this man get rid of?

For fuck's sake, he has to be fired, and fast, before we have no players left.

Will Mabon
40 Posted 20/04/2018 at 09:08:50
Fear not, other "News" shows we're on the trail of a hugely exciting prospect:

Arsenal hope Jack Wilshere will sign new deal amid Everton interest

Tony Waring
41 Posted 20/04/2018 at 09:36:05
Not only should we hold on to Lookman, we should also be thinking of poaching the Leipzig manager!
Franny Porter
42 Posted 20/04/2018 at 11:03:33
Mike Gaynes

Mustard - Hot Stuff

Hope that got you out of a jam mate.

Joe O'Brien
43 Posted 20/04/2018 at 12:23:55
Yeah, just saw that the prick would listen to offers for Lookman... unbelievable. I think he knows that the supporters rate him and he's again trying to wind us up by talking up the possibility of selling him. I want this man out of the club before the season finishes.

I can see Newcastle taking us on Monday... that should be a great opportunity to get rid of him. I'd stomach a defeat if it meant it he was sacked straight after.

Tony Everan
44 Posted 20/04/2018 at 12:54:51
Allardyce is losing the plot if he is willing to listen to offers for Lookman.

He should be sacked for that idea alone.

John Graham
45 Posted 20/04/2018 at 14:10:00
He should never be allowed to leave. It was a disgrace that we couldn't tempt him to stay here and fight for a first-team place when he was progressing so well. The only reason he left is that he must have been told that he didn't have a chance to get into the team no matter how well he played.

He is by far more skillful and threatening than Bolasie at present while he is recovering from injury and should have got into the team before him.

We have got to keep our good young players or we will never get to the heights we are striving for.

Jermaine Jennings
46 Posted 20/04/2018 at 15:34:33
No chance that he will be allowed to leave... he has massive potential.
Justin Doone
47 Posted 20/04/2018 at 16:03:34
From my appalling memory, I think we paid 㾷m 2 years ago. He'll be sold if we get 㾼m. Good business, that's all that matters to some.

Sam, who didn't give him a chance was so frustrated with him for moving abroad on loan; I just can't see him excepting that his own advice was ignored.

He has so much potential but he does have to start showing it. He was in and out of the U20s who won the World Cup and I can see why.

Let's hope they can't afford him and he blossoms into an Everton great. Although very different, I think Calvert-Lewin and Davies are better prospects. I get a bit of a Bolasie feeling about him. Mr Inconsistent Mk 2. Make that Mk 22 – there's worse.

David Currie
48 Posted 20/04/2018 at 16:27:58
We need to keep him, he is a better player than Bolasie who has been awful since coming back.
David Barks
49 Posted 20/04/2018 at 16:36:13
My God, I can not believe we have allowed Allardyce to go out and say publicly that he'd be willing to sell this player. And he even takes a pathetic cheap shot at the player, trying to say he hasn't seen much of the pitch over there.

WHY IS NOBODY AT THE CLUB TAKING CONTROL OF THIS SITUATION!!!! Shut this fat piece of shit up!!

John Pierce
50 Posted 20/04/2018 at 16:46:40
I really don't know what my feelings will be if, hours after the final whistle at West Ham, the club doesn't part ways with him.

I've built up in my head that the club understands what's at stake but, with each utterance, Allardyce is making me feel less certain and I wonder who at the club will actually stop him from doing lasting (if not done already) damage.

I can only hope that, come Monday evening, Allardyce has said so much to discredit the club this week, the Goodison faithful stand up to him and make their feelings clear to the board.

It seems if Allardyce is to go, he's taking everything and everyone else with him. Has the club ever seemed to without leadership under Moshiri?

Jack Convery
51 Posted 20/04/2018 at 17:13:50
They won't get rid til the end of June. I reckon it's because they will have to fork out more dosh as compensation if he goes before that. Nothing else makes any sense. However, this is EFC we are talking about.
John G Davies
52 Posted 20/04/2018 at 17:32:42
Allardyce is goading the club into sacking him. There can be no other conclusion to the way he is carrying on.

He knows he's gone; we know he's gone; it has to be about levels of compensation to date of sacking.

Paul Birmingham
53 Posted 20/04/2018 at 17:57:58
The sun is up and the temperature in the board room and nooks and crannies of Goodison Park is rising.

Does the club fully and solely apologise for the survey? I doubt it, but it was a total PR disaster.

Is Sam goaded, is he planning his next move? Will Farhad grow some...? What next, in the scintillating next twist on The Road To Nowhere.

Kristian Boyce
54 Posted 20/04/2018 at 19:01:05
David Barks @ #49, I wouldn't be surprised if the club are letting him spout off, hoping he'll dig his own grave. He's rattled and knows he's on shaky ground and is at odds with the board. I still standby what I said yesterday, that the whole survey fiasco was of his people's making as a PR stunt against the club.

His public chastising of a senior staff member will not go unnoticed, plus his questioning of the board in public for support probably raised a few red flags. He's had history in the past with public spats especially with fans and I'm sure that the club will hope for more of these.

The only problem with this is he unsettles the club and players, but it allows the management to get rid of him easier, and with hopefully less compensation.

We just need to get the fake Sheikh out of retirement to try to get him to blabber about his corrupt behaviours.

Andy Crooks
56 Posted 20/04/2018 at 21:03:48
David Barks, I have disagreed with you in the past but, frankly, you are spot on time after time on different threads. Do you share my dread that we will have this fraudulent dinosaur and his cronies next season?
Peter Lee
57 Posted 21/04/2018 at 08:21:46
Leipzig have been in a battle to secure Euro qualification. The manager plays the team that he feels will do most to achieve this. He doesn't give Lookman much game time. No surprise. This was always going to be so, so why get him in?

My guess? He thinks he's one for the future. When quals are determined, and looking at the table and games left they are, Bayern will likely win the DFB pokal which means 5th, 6th, 7th – make Europa, Lookman will get more game time.

Pretty similar to EFC in that job was to put relegation behind us. Anyone who didn't think that our uninspired, shapeless, unbalanced squad of November was going only one way was kidding themselves. We'd just been destroyed by Southampton.

In that situation taking a chance on kids would have been madness. Never wanted Bolasie but got to hand it to him for working his hump off for the cause. At this point, we may have seen Lookman get game time. Allardyce told him he'd be better off staying. It would have been better for EFC to have the chance to look at our own player in the Premier League rather than his getting little time in the Bundesliga which, in any event, is nothing like as competitive.

With regards to players for sale, they all are if the price is right and the situation warrants it. Same for every club.

James Byrne
58 Posted 21/04/2018 at 09:54:56
I'm one of the unlucky Evertonian's who has to leave Liverpool periodically to work, and I've tried my best not to jump on these forums to vent frustration.

I was horrified as anyone to see even a hint that a player like Lookman could end up being sold on by Everton in the future, particularly going by the amount of shite we have playing for us now.

I'm not saying Lookman is going to become a world beater but he's certainly got something about him that excites football fans. I was gutted to see this lad go out on loan, so to see reports of him possibly being sold off just sums up this fucked-up, disgrace of a club and how it is being run.

With the amounts of money we've wasted and the utter bollocks football we play, I'm afraid it's only a matter of when and not if we get relegated to the Championship.

James Stewart
59 Posted 21/04/2018 at 10:24:38
This lad will be another Sterling once a good manager gets hold of him; it would be pure madness to sell him.
Daniel A Johnson
60 Posted 21/04/2018 at 10:53:23
Typical Everton to let Lookman go and bring in Wilshere on a 6-figure salary.
Matthew Williams
61 Posted 21/04/2018 at 15:21:33
For me, he starts next season playing on the right wing in a 4-4-2... end of.
Peter Lee
62 Posted 21/04/2018 at 20:05:52
ps: He started today. They were 3-0 down at home to Hoffenheim after 49 minutes. Man sent off, finished 2-5. Still think Allardyce was wrong to say he'd be better off staying here?

Dennis Ng
63 Posted 23/04/2018 at 04:09:42
Peter, to be fair, do you think he was happy training under Allardyce? More playing time perhaps but surely we can see the same soul-sucking training methods from Allardyce when we can see the same thing being played in the league games.

I'm glad he's in Germany. Perhaps it's like a mini-vacation. Hopefully he will be back more energetic under a new, braver and innovative manager.

Dick Fearon
64 Posted 26/04/2018 at 01:41:32
If the lad is leaving keep Sam away from the bung er',deal.

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