Arsenal has just agreed to send Albert Sambi Lokonga to Sevilla on loan for the upcoming season.
The transfer process faced delays as Arsenal insisted Sevilla commit to making the move permanent based on certain performance targets. However, Sevilla was reluctant to include an obligation to buy in the deal, which caused disagreement between the clubs.
After considering other options, Arsenal eventually accepted a loan deal with an option for Sevilla to buy Lokonga.
Sambi Lokonga was keen to join the La Liga club and did not want to miss out on the opportunity.
Currently, the midfielder is content with the move. However, according to a report from Sport Witness, Arsenal should anticipate Lokonga’s return at the end of the season. The report suggests that Sevilla does not intend to exercise the buy option because it would be financially challenging for them to do so.
Sevilla reportedly agreed to the buy option clause primarily to secure Lokonga’s services for the season without committing to a permanent transfer.
Just Arsenal Opinion
Sambi Lokonga is getting a fresh chance to revive his career and we expect the midfielder to do a good job in Spain.
If that happens, even if Sevilla does not sign him permanently, another club will add him to their squad.
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It’s even better that way, imo. A reported option to buy for what, 12million? is ridiculous for a player we signed for 17million just a while back.
Let’s hope he has a good injury-free season. I can see Lokonga playing himself into the reckoning of more serious clubs, or even into a revived future at Arsenal next season.
When does that ever really happen? Honestly?
This myth needs to die
It shouldn’t be that much of a surprise to see that Arsenal may well have to take a big loss on a player though. Their selling record is pretty bad overall.
Let’s not forget (although we’d all like I’m sure) the Pepe fiasco – signed in 2019 for £72m and released on a free transfer (having been on loan most of the intervening period) in 2023. It takes something to lose that kind of money in the space of four years and hardly get any games out of the player as well.
Any player is only worth what another club will pay for him. There clearly aren’t many clubs interested in Sambi. It’s not so much accepting a lower fee; it’s buying at too higher one in the first place.
Yet another player, we cant move on.
A top club should loan players out for their development. Lokongo has no future at Arsenal so why are we strengthening Sevilles squad of players?
Keeping him and players like Nketiah and Smith Rowe on the books holds us back in the market 😕
His wages is very low, so I don’t mind Arsenal keeping him a bit longer. He may develop more under Arteta than on loan.
😂
🤣
But it’s not just wages (although that’s a factor and his wages contribute to the club’s overall bill), it’s squad size.
Arsenal’s inability to trim down the squad sufficiently but at the same time still bring in players – perhaps two or three more in this window alone – means that they must move other players out urgently.
We all know how difficult it is for Arsenal to sell players, due largely to their excessive valuations, so the opportunity to get Sambi off the books on loan is really the only other option. Selling him at the end of it will be the test and Arsenal will probably have to take a loss on him when the time comes.
At £15m, it is fair to say that Sambi hasn’t worked out. I know that not every signing is a success but whoever was monitoring him, whether it was Arteta or the scouting network, spending that much has been a mistake. Speculative purchases are ok when they work and not much use otherwise. We already have sufficient players who will almost never get a start