Arsenal star keen to ‘find myself back’ to levels before Emirates transfer

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Arsenal loanee Albert Sambi Lokonga hopes to use his time at Crystal Palace to ‘find myself back’ to the levels hit before joining Mikel Arteta’s club. He sealed his transfer in July 2021.

The Gunners paid £15m plus add-ons to bring the midfielder to the Premier League. Arteta and Arsenal expected Lokonga to arrive as a player with a bright future. But they believed the Belgian would also challenge for a first-team place straight away at Emirates Stadium.

Yet since joining from RSC Anderlecht, Lokonga has only played 39 games at Arsenal. So, Arteta and the 23-year-old agreed he would join Crystal Palace for the rest of this term. He has since played in three fixtures under Gunners great Patrick Vieira at Selhurst Park so far.

Vieira gave Lokonga his first start for Crystal Palace with a 63-minute appearance away to Brentford last Saturday. The one-cap international enjoyed his debut as a late substitute at Manchester United. He also had 34 minutes off the bench against Brighton & Hove Albion.

Arteta only started Lokonga in two of Arsenal’s 19 Premier League games this term before his move to Crystal Palace. But he started in all six of the Gunners’ Europa League Group A ties, their FA Cup defeat to Brighton and one of the north Londoners’ two FA Cup matches.

Arsenal loanee Lokonga wants to rediscover his Anderlecht form at Crystal Palace

Lokonga had joined Arsenal in 2021 after a strong record at Anderlecht, with whom he was the captain. Vincent Kompany handed the midfielder the armband from December 2020 in line with his instrumental presence. He left the Belgian giants after 78 matches since 2017.

Now, the Verviers-born star is keen to get back to the levels he hit at Lotto Park. Lokonga’s displays at Anderlecht are what convinced Arsenal to secure his transfer and what he must rediscover whilst on loan to Crystal Palace to prove to Arteta that he merits a future there.

“My goals for the moment are to find myself back to be the Sambi that I have been when I arrived at Arsenal,” he told talkSPORT.

“These are my goals and, hopefully, I can bring something different to the team. And I hope I can bring something that they don’t have in the team right now.”