The dust has finally settled from the sheer disappointment of last weekend, and one can only look forward to what next season holds for everyone connected with Arsenal. What we know for sure is that there will be lots of player movements in and out, and while I’d expect Edu Gaspar and the negotiation team to take center stage for the next sets of players that will come in and improve the squad, there will be some certain departures to handle, like a certain Albert Sambi Lokonga.
What do we know right now? Nuno Tavares is returning to the club after a disappointing spell at Nottingham Forest and the club will certainly be looking to move him on. Reuell Walters, Mohamed Elneny and Cedric Soares (thank Heavens) will be departing after their contracts were not renewed. I recently published a befitting tribute for Elneny, as he has served us with exemplary loyalty and deserves all our respect. Due to the circumstances involved in trying to win the Premier League on the final day, it was very understandable that he wasn’t going to get his last hurrah on the pitch, but I’m sure he took to the Emirates Stadium at the end of the game to wave his goodbyes to the Arsenal faithful with a tear or two in his eyes.
Sambi Lokonga joined the club in 2021 after a successful stint at Anderlecht and there were huge expectations for the lad when he graced us at the Emirates. He didn’t really set the Emirates alight with his performances and a real opportunity to stake his claim showed up when Granit Xhaka was suspended and the African duo of Thomas Partey and Mo Elneny departed for the AFCON, but he stunk the place up and looked out of his depth. Kieran Tierney’s long term injury and lack of trust in Nuno Tavares made Mikel Arteta to tactically switch Xhaka to left back, and Partey’s injury, alongside Lokonga’s poor performances saw Elneny get an extended run in the tail end of that campaign.
At the start of the 2022/23 season, Lokonga was used sparingly, and when Partey suffered an injury scare during the winter transfer window, Arsenal opted to sign Jorginho from Chelsea and shipped Lokonga out to Crystal Palace on transfer deadline day. The Belgian youngster had a couple of runouts under ex-Gunner, Patrick Vieira, but when the gaffer was sacked and was replaced by Wily Ol’ Roy Hodgson, Lokonga got a nice seat belt and strapped himself to the bench till the campaign was concluded.
With the midfielder clearly out of favor, he sought a move out of the club, and was initially touted to have a reunion with his former Anderlecht boss, Vincent Kompany, at Burnley, but the move never came to fruition and Arsenal accepted a loan bid from newly promoted Luton Town. He notched up 17 appearances for the Hatters, scoring one goal and providing three assists for his teammates, and with Luton Town returning to the Championship, they had no plans to retain Lokonga’s services, which brings him back to square one regarding his future.
However, the midfielder has been vocal about his future, and it seems everything points towards the exit door,
“For me, I had a discussion with Arsenal and the conclusion was the best thing for me was to leave the club, so now it’s up to my agent and the club to find something. I still have a contract there, one year plus a one-year option so let’s see what happens.”
To compete with a juggernaut like Manchester City in the Premier League, as well as going far in other competitions domestically and in Europe, Arsenal needs players of immense quality and in all honesty, Lokonga doesn’t fit into this category, so if we can garner a quid or two for his services, I wouldn’t bat an eyelid.
Hopefully, the negotiation team will do well to make a central midfielder signing a priority, because with Elneny leaving, Lokonga’s imminent departure, and Thomas Partey’s future still up in the air, Arsenal will be desperately light in that department. I know Declan Rice is an exceptionally fit minutes monster and Jorginho recently signed a new deal, but quantity is just as important as quality in some playing positions.
Thanks Mr. Lokonga, you won’t be missed.
Sayonara.
Follow Gooner Daily on Twitter @goonerdaily.
Visit Gooner Daily’s Facebook page.
Click on the “Follow button” to join Gooner Daily’s Mailing List
