Burnley are now keen to sign Albert Sambi Lokonga from Arsenal – a player Vincent Kompany knows very well.
It was The Sun who claimed that the Clarets are targeting the Belgium international, who worked alongside Kompany at Anderlecht.
By the sounds of it, a deal for Albert Sambi Lokonga could be quite straightforward for Burnley to complete.
What’s the story?
Well, the Belgian – who has 34 Premier League appearances to his name – is said to be surplus to requirements under Mikel Arteta, with an exit from the Emirates Stadium now very likely.
Lokonga is currently on loan at Crystal Palace, although the south Londoners are reluctant to make the deal permanent as Roy Hodgson has only given him 70 minutes of action since replacing Patrick Vieira.
As detailed by The Sun, it was Kompany who recommended the 23-year-old to Arteta before Arsenal eventually struck a £17m agreement with Anderlecht in July 2021.
The Burnley boss even told Rio Ferdinand that he saw similarities to Yaya Toure in Lokonga’s game, which is quite the statement.
Speaking on Ferdinand’s Vibe with Five YouTube channel, Kompany said: “The first thing I did when I saw Sambi is I went to Mikel and said, you’ve got to watch this guy, he’s the new Yaya Toure.”
Lokonga should push for Burnley move
In our view, a move to Turf Moor is exactly what Lokonga needs at this stage of his career.
The Belgian – who Arteta called a “very intelligent player” when speaking to Arsenal’s official website – is not wanted by the Gunners, nor Crystal Palace, after a rough 12 months in English football.
As Lokonga finds himself at a crossroads in his career, we feel a reunion with Kompany, who helped project him onto Arsenal’s radar, would be a very sensible move – it would provide him with the environment to fulfil his vast potential under a coach who thoroughly believes in him.
Be sure to keep an eye on the situation, as the Verviers-born maestro looks set to depart Arsenal this summer.
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