Former Lazio midfielder Ogenyi Onazi has urged Italian administrators to treat players better, particularly after Atalanta blocked Ademola Lookman’s transfer to Inter Milan, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Super Eagles and Atalanta forward Lookman was linked with a summer move to Inter Milan, but his parent club were unwilling to part with him, refusing to sell the Nigerian to another Italian club.

Inter Milan submitted three offers to Atalanta on Lookman’s behalf, but the 2024 UEFA Europa League winners were adamant they would not sell.

Onazi, who played for Lazio between 2012 and 2016, racking up over 100 appearances, revealed he had his fair share of transfer tussles with the club in 2013 after Nigeria won the AFCON.

“For Ademola, I don’t know about Atalanta, but I know the Napolitans are very aggressive,” Onazi said on the Abu Azeez podcast, referring to Victor Osimhen’s chaotic exit from the Diego Maradona Stadium.

“Ademola is very quiet, and sometimes that can be taken advantage of. Given he’s done so well for the club, winning the UEFA Europa League, I don’t know why they won’t let him leave.

“It’s not like he’s leaving on a free deal. The club will make money, football is a business, they can bring another person.”

Onazi added, “I think some of these Italian presidents and clubs need to do better because if you refuse to allow the player go when a huge offer comes in, what happens when he doesn’t play well in the next season? What if he’s injured and his value drops? Then they start to try to make him terminate his contract.

“According to what I heard, there was an agreement with the club, and now they are refusing to let him leave. He has to continue the form and keep going so he can leave in the summer,” the ex-Denizlispor midfielder concluded.

Lookman looks to be back in form after an excellent AFCON campaign in Morocco, where he was the player with the most goal contributions.