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Ademola Lookman was snubbed from the Serie A XI at the Gran Gala del Calcio 2024 voted by players in Italy
Dutch striker Joshua Zirkzee, who joined Manchester United in a €42.5 million move this summer, has found his name in the Serie A Team of the Year despite a difficult start in England.
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The announcement, part of the Gran Gala del Calcio 2024, left many questioning the absence of Nigerian star Ademola Lookman, who delivered a stellar season for Atalanta.
Zirkzee among Gran Gala del Calcio winners
Despite a slow start at Manchester United with only three goals in 19 appearances, Zirkzee’s efforts in Serie A last season earned him a spot in the Gran Gala del Calcio’s Top XI for his performances in Italy, where he was a vital part of Bologna’s attack.
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The Serie A Team of the Year featured several Inter players after their dominance in the league, which saw them return to the pinnacle of Italian football in the 2023/24 season.
Zirkzee was one of the few inclusions from outside the Scudetto-winning side, taking a place in the attack of the Serie A XI, alongside talents like Lautaro Martínez and Marcus Thuram.
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The XI in full: Yann Sommer; Raoul Bellanova, Alessandro Bastoni, Riccardo Calafiori, Federico Dimarco; Niccolo Barella, Hakan Calhanoglu, Teun Koopmeiners; Joshua Zirkzee, Lautaro Martinez, Marcus Thuram.
Lookman’s Ssnub raises eyebrows
Zirkzee has struggled for goals since his move from Bologna to Manchester United, scoring only three goals in 19 appearances for the Red Devils since his €42.5m summer move.
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Still, his 11 goals and 5 assists in 34 appearances in Serie A last season were enough to earn him a spot on the Serie A team of the year at the Gran Gala del Calcio 2024 awards voted by players in the league.
Despite his 11 goals and eight assists in 31 games for Atalanta last season, Lookman’s superb performances were not deemed good enough for a place in this year’s squad, but the Nigerian forward has shone elsewhere.
In addition to becoming the first Atalanta player to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or award and finishing 14th in the final standing, Lookman is also the frontrunner for the CAF Player of the Year award.
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