Ademola looks the part says Rodgers
DEADLINE-DAY SIGNING WILL BE A REAL ASSET, BOSS PREDICTS
BRENDAN Rodgers hopes Ademola Lookman finds a home at Leicester City after the deadline-day signing made his debut for the club, writes Jordan Blackwell.
Rodgers made Lookman his fifth and final recruit of the summer transfer window, bringing him in on a season-long loan from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig.
City fans saw him in action for the first time on Saturday, when he played the final 17 minutes in the defeat to Manchester City, whose goalkeeper Ederson denied the winger a debut goal after he was played in by Kelechi Iheanacho.
The 23-year-old will hope it’s the first appearance of many, and his manager hopes he can settle in quickly.
Lookman’s career has so far been a nomadic one. He’s yet to play 50 games for a single team, moving from Charlton to Everton to Leipzig and to Fulham.
“For lots of players (settling down) is important,” Rodgers said. “If you track his career, starting at Charlton and then making the move to Everton, it didn’t quite work out.
“He’s decided to go abroad for the experience with Leipzig and had the chance to then come back and play at Fulham on loan. I thought he was excellent there.
“Now he’s come to us on loan and I’m pretty sure this is a place, a club and an environment he can really flourish in.
“There’s absolutely no doubt about his talent. He can run with the ball, he can pass and shoot, create or score a goal. He’s not shy on the work front and he wants to run.”
City’s last loan winger,
Cengiz
Under, struggled for appearances as he tried to adjust to the
Premier League and
Rodgers’ game-plan, the City boss needing his wide-men to do their defensive duties, something the Turkish international “wasn’t accustomed to”.
But Lookman has impressed on that front already.
Assessing his debut, Rodgers said: “There was one action he made when he came in where he pressed straight away into (Kyle) Walker that forced him to go back, so he’s got that aggression and intensity in his press.
“Over the course of the season we’ll see his football ability in the final third. He was unlucky with the ball through with Kels, the keeper arrives otherwise he’s slotting that in in his first game. He’s going to be a real asset and I’m looking forward to working with him over the course of the season.”