According to a report by Football Insider, Burnley are keen on having Albert Sambi Lokonga in their ranks, and they have managed to strike a deal with Arsenal for his transfer. Vincent Kompany’s team are looking to bolster their squad as they prepare for their return to the English top flight. And the arrival of the 23-year-old will surely help their cause.
Kompany’s Burnley were sensational last season in the Championship. They were a class above the rest and ended up securing promotion to the Premier League. While they did dominate the English second division, life in the English top flight won’t be easy. As a result, they are trying to reinforce their squad.
The Clarets have been interested in acquiring the services of the 23-year-old midfielder for a while now. And, he is keen on making the move to the newly-promoted Premier League club. Lokonga joined Arsenal back in the summer of 2021 for a fee of £17.2 million.
He was expected to force his way into the first team but has failed to live up to the expectations. In the winter of 2023, he was sent out on a short loan to Crystal Palace. But, the move did not go according to plan as he featured in a total of nine matches and hardly had any impact.
The 23-year-old is back at his parent club. But he is unlikely to have an important role next season, and Arsenal are ready to let him leave the club. Kompany is keen on having him in his ranks having worked with the Arsenal midfielder while he was at Anderlecht.
Even Lokonga wants to reunite with the former Manchester City defender who he considers to be an idol. Both the club have been in talks for a while now, and they have finally reached an agreement over a loan move.
With all parties in full agreement, the move should be complete in the coming days. At this point in time, they are discussing a potential buy clause for next year. Given that Arsenal are ready to offload the 23-year-old for the right price, there is a real possibility of the deal having such a clause.