As far as Arsenal team news goes, it’s looking pretty thin for manager Mikel Arteta.
Arsenal kick off their FA Cup campaign with a visit to Championship outfit Nottingham Forest on Sunday afternoon.
However, due to imminent transfers, international commitments and injuries, the Gunners manager has a substantial headache.
This is particularly true of midfield options.
Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny are absent with their Africa Cup of Nations commitments, Ainsley Maitland-Niles is reportedly close to joining Roma and Granit Xhaka has been missing from training at London Colney all week.
Return
Consequently, it looks relatively certain that the Arsenal trainer will recall Albert Sambi Lokonga into his starting lineup on Sunday.
The Belgium international hasn’t started for the Emirates Stadium outfit since the Premier League victory over Newcastle United on Novemeber 27.
However, with Arteta having four midfielders absent this weekend potentially, the former Anderlecht powerhouse, signed by technical director Edu for £17 million during the summer, is almost certainly going to break back into the first XI.
It has been a relatively mixed first season in London for the 22-year-old midfielder.
There’s no denying that Edu and Arteta have a young talent on their hands, even if the likes of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli receive a little more plaudits.
But Sunday is a good opportunity for Lokonga to prove that he can be a big player for Arsenal, too.
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