Ademola Lookman, a Nigerian forward, is quickly emerging as one of the top players in the Italian Serie A thanks to his regular eye-catching performances for Atalanta, where he has scored 21 goals and provided 14 assists since joining last season, according to TalkTalk Nigeria Sports Extra.

On Sunday, the 26-year-old assisted twice in their 2-1 victory against Monza, adding to his rising Serie A assist totals.

Lookman is the fifth player in Serie A to score more than 20 goals and deliver more than 10 assists since the start of last season, behind Napoli's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, AC Milan's Raphael Leão, Roma's Paulo Dybala, and Milan's Olivier Giroud.

Two seasons ago, at 24, the Nigerian forward was deemed insufficient in England, despite having played for five teams in England and Germany in order to find his footing. In 2017, he transferred from Charlton Athletic to Everton, where he scored four goals in 48 games. He was then moved to RB Leipzig in Germany, where he scored five goals in 24 games before returning to England on loan with Fulham and Leicester City.

He scored four goals in 35 appearances for Fulham, and eight in 42 games for Leicester.

In two seasons in Italy, Lookman has 21 goals and 14 assists. While the OPTA data showed 11 assists, the Nigerian has 14 (eight in 2022/23 and six so far in 2023/24), according to Transfermarkt, a website that tracks player performances.

Between last season and currently, he has scored 35 goals for Atalanta, placing him seventh after Dybala (39), Giroud (39), Leao (41) and Kvaratskhelia (42).

Aside from ranking him among the top performances in Seria A, the statistics illustrate how the player, who struggled to establish himself at three English Premier League clubs, has adjusted in the Italian top flight.

Lookman, a Charlton Athletic Academy alumnus, signed a four-year contract with Atalanta for an estimated €15 million from Leipzig, and Steve Avory, Charlton Athletic's long-serving academy director, couldn't have been more proud of the Nigerian when he burst out in Serie A last season.

"It hasn't surprised me that he has adapted to all of the many club environments he has encountered. Because he is a young man who appears to take everything in stride," Avory explained in a documentary.

"We're talking about a young man here who plays at the highest level. He really has made it. We hope he continues to do so for many years to come.

His form at Atalanta has propelled them to the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League, where they will face French club Marseille, and the Coppa Italia, where they will face Fiorentina on Wednesday (today).

"We all see Lookman's potential and speed, but we must admit that he once didn't play so offensively," Atalanta coach Gian Gasperini told Pazzi di Fanta.

"He used to score six or seven goals every year, but today he is swift, skilled at dribbling, and even strong with his head. I encourage him because, while he occasionally avoids the game, I believe that if he approaches the area, he may become a reference player for our team."

Lookman's contract with Atalanta expires in 2026, and it is unclear whether he will return to England.

Atalanta is presently sixth in Serie A, and with six games remaining before the end of the season, they have a strong chance of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League next season.