Sam Allardyce has shared that he didn’t want Ademola Lookman to join RB Leipzig but the winger got his way as he was determined to move to the German club.
Lookman agreed to join RB Leipzig on loan until the end of the season on transfer deadline day, after only making seven appearances for the Toffees in the Premier League this season.
However, Allardyce has since revealed that he tried to convince the 20-year-old to join a club where he would be guaranteed first-team football every week.
“It is one of the most unusual situations I’ve been in where we have got some deals for him but he was adamant he chooses Germany,” said Allardyce, as quoted by The Times.
“It was his choice, we tried to persuade him not to because I think it is a big challenge for his development.
“We wanted him to go out on loan in the hope he is going to play first-team football every week.
“I think we had a much better opportunity to give him that, his stubbornness meant he got his own way.”
The Toffees manager went on to admit that he hoped that Lookman’s decision proved to be the right one as a successful spell would enable him to return and challenge for a place in Everton’s first-team next season.
The Times shared that sources at RB Leipzig believed the club signed the winger, who can play on either flank, after his representatives offered the player’s services to them.
The same sources revealed that Lookman is considered a good option to have in the squad, with Emil Forsberg currently ruled out through injury.
OPINION
This is certainly an interesting development, as Lookman has taken a huge wish going against his manager’s wishes. While he has joined an impressive Bundesliga side who are pushing to win a place in the Champions League next season, hiss priority should have been to go to a club where he would get first-team football. Allardyce looks like he was in the right to try and stop this move, as even with Forsberg out injured, Lookman might not get the games needed to see him return a better player. The winger was more than capable of featuring for Everton this season, but Allardyce clearly wanted him to go and get more experience before he would consider him for the first-team. So if he doesn’t feature at RB Leipzig, he’s not going to break into Everton’s team next season and could face another temporary exit.