‘I want to go’ – Arsenal’s Belgian International Demanding To Be Sold

Arsenal’s Albert-Sambi Lokonga has insisted that he wants to go somewhere he can be guaranteed regular first-team minutes next season.

Lokonga was only signed in the summer of 2021 but having made just 25 first-team appearances for Arsenal, he looks to have grown tired of kicking his heels on the sidelines under Mikel Arteta and is now searching for an exit.

Given Arsenal’s lavish spending this transfer window on Kai Havertz and the soon-to-be-announced Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber, the Gunners will likely have to sell some players this summer as a way of balancing the books and avoid Financial Fair Play regulations.

Lokonga keen on Arsenal exit

A few players have been tipped for an exit this summer including Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey with the former going back to the Bundesliga and the latter being admired by clubs out in the Middle East and Saudi Arabia.

Their Belgian international Lokonga is now the next in line to be desperate for a summer transfer as his progression has somewhat stalled since he joined from Anderlecht two years ago and even a loan spell at Crystal Palace last season has done nothing to help him in the eyes of Arteta.

Whether the likes of Everton, Aston Villa, West Ham or even Man United see something in the clearly talented young midfield general remains to be seen but you could see the Belgian still being a success in the Premier League. If this were to happen for Lokonga at a rival PL club, it would not look good on the Arsenal boss so a move abroad seems like the most likely outcome as things stand.

🚨| Arsenal are exploring the "potential exit routes" for Nicolas Pépé, Folarin Balogun, Albert Sambi-Lokonga, Nuno Tavares and Cédric Soares.

[via @markmcadamtv]. pic.twitter.com/S4xkv5hBkl

— Football Daily (@footballdaily) July 3, 2023

Lokonga has been speaking about his future ahead of a return to Arsenal for pre-season training and has raised a huge cloud of doubt over whether or not he will be at the Emirates come the end of August.

He said: “I don’t know, I will try to go somewhere where I will play. That’s the most important thing, to have some games and play game after game.”

Arteta must sell players this summer

It’s a good sign that someone so young and talented is keen to leave a big European club and perhaps a huge pay packet to ensure that he reaches his full potential, and the only way he’ll ever do that is by playing regular first-team football.

Arteta signed Lokonga for around £15 million when he was just 21 years old, hoping that he would develop and learn from other first-team players but that hasn’t been the case with the Belgian international starting just 14 Premier League games since his arrival in North London, so a move away this summer would likely be great for all involved.