Arsenal midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga joins fellow Premier League club in deadline day loan transfer
ALBERT SAMBI LOKONGA has left Arsenal to join another Premier League club.
Lokonga has made a loan switch from The Gunners to Luton Town.
The 23-year-old will spend the season on loan at Kenilworth Road after The Hatters agreed a deadline day deal with Arsenal.
Speaking after Luton's 2-1 defeat to West Ham, boss Rob Edwards said: “It’s an exciting signing, he comes with lots of Premier League experience and has brilliant pedigree.
"I met him and had a really good chat, he’s hungry and wants to play football.
“He knows and understands what we are about, he believes that he can help us and I think it’s a really good fit.
“Another player for our squad who has Premier League quality, we’ll get him now for two weeks during the international break for him to bed in and I’m excited to have him.
“He’s a midfielder who really looks after the ball, he gives us stability to play in a double pivot if needed, but he can also run on and play as a number eight.
“He’ll give us more control in the middle of the pitch during certain moments of games, but he’s someone who hopefully we can help develop as well.”
Lokonga spent the second half of last season on loan at Crystal Palace where he made just nine Premier League appearances.
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The Belgian international joined Arsenal in the summer of 2021 for a fee of around £17million.
But he has failed to integrate himself into Mikel Arteta's team with the Spanish boss preferring the likes of Thomas Partey and Declan Rice ahead of him.
He isn't the only name to leave the Emirates Stadium on deadline day either.
Rob Holding has left Crystal Palace in a £1million deal, potentially rising to £3.5m, which will see Arsenal's longest serving player leave after seven years in North London.
Holding had been linked with a move abroad after La Liga outfit Sevilla had shown interest, but he will be staying in the capital for now.
There has been little movement in terms of incomings for Arteta's side in the dying embers of the transfer window.
Instead the Gunners got their new stars through the doors as early as possible this summer.
The North London club have brought in big names in the shape of Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber and David Raya.
