Anderlecht midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga will undergo a doctor with Arsenal before his transfer to the Emirates is complete.
The 21-year-old Belgian has been linked with Mikel Arteta’s side for a while this summer, with an opening bid of around 13 million pounds, according to information to be rejected by Anderlecht in mid-June.
But according to Belgian journalist Sven Claes, the agreement will soon be finalized, and Lokonga will undergo a doctor’s appointment on Friday. Should he succeed in completing medical tests, the 21-year-old would join his new teammates next week for the pre-season in Scotland.
Update:? ? ? • Albert Sambi Lokonga (21, ??) undergoes medical tests today before transferring to Arsenal. The Belgian midfielder will join the Gunners next week in the pre-season in Scotland. #AFC pic.twitter.com/z7V2nXY9U0
– Sven Claes (@svenclaes) July 9, 2021
Lokonga is a highly ranked midfielder, known for his ability to carry the ball past the opposition press and expand the game with his passing ability. He has been an integral part of Anderlecht since the 2019/20 campaign and played 56 Jupiler Pro League matches in the last two seasons and helped the club to a third place last semester.
The midfielder has also gained recognition on the international stage, having represented Belgium at under 17, under 19 and under 21 levels. Lokonga has also been called up to the senior side by Roberto Martinez, but did not manage to get off the bench in the country’s warm-up matches before Euro 2020.
Albert Sambi Lokonga in Belgium trains with Thomas Meunier / JOHN THYS / Getty Images
This summer is going to be a big one for Arsenal, with a lot of deals planned for the start of the season. Lokonga may not be this window, with an agreement on Benfica’s Nuno Tavares reportedly also agreeing, while Lyon’s Houssem Aouar is still on Arteta’s radar.
Arsenal have so far differed from David Luiz, who was released, while Matteo Guendouzi has joined Marseille on loan.
