Former Arsenal man Kevin Campbell will not be surprised if Albert Sambi Lokonga demands to leave the Emirates because of a lack of playing time.
The midfielder joined the Gunners last season and is yet to establish himself as a regular for Mikel Arteta’s team.
He has even fallen further down the pecking order this term as they have targeted another midfielder whilst he is in their squad.
At 22, Lokonga needs regular game time to aid his development, but that will hardly come at Arsenal.
Because of this, Campbell believes he could ask the club to sanction a move away so he can play more often.
He tells Football Insider:
“He may look to leave. The key to everything is the fit. If Sambi Lokonga wants to start then he has to leave Arsenal because he is not starting right now.
“He is a young player though so right now, it is about being a valued member of the squad and improving.”
Just Arsenal Opinion
Sambi Lokonga had several chances to earn a permanent first-team place last season, but he didn’t take them.
The Belgian is to blame for that and should have asked to leave at least on loan in the last transfer window if there were no assurances over playing time.
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Well, he certainly isn’t 1st team material.
I think Arsenal was mugged here.
Simple sideways and backwards passes without affecting the game, He is lucky his name is not Elneny hence he is escaping the supporters’ wrath.
@Gunner za
It was Vincent Kompany who mugged Arteta, by bigging up Lokongo.
Let him go he has a attitude like gundzee, don’t want players like that, you don’t see holding, or Tierney, viera, they know at this time the first team are playing so well it’s hard to drop anyone, so they have to keep their head down and when they get into the first team make it hard for the manager to drop them…
Yes he needs to go on loan, he will be a better player one day.
We need game changers in his position someone who could actually keep Partey on the bench some time if there is ever such a player
He definitely needs a loan away next year, and then reevaluate the player before making a decision. I haven’t heard the player speak about his playing time or a move away from Arsenal, so take this all with a grain of salt.
The point here is that playing time should be earned, not freely given at big clubs, even rotation chances. IF he shows quality he will get chances, if he doesn’t he won’t; glad to see Arteta putting the club first.
In yesterdays PSV match, I struggled to tell the difference in style and standards of play between Lokonga and the extremely not good enough Elneny.
All I saw was Lokonga making timid sideways passes of five to ten yards, showing zero ambition to do ANYTHING positive with the ball.
In other words, just as Elneny always does. I would by now expect a great deal more from a 22 year old, but whenever I see him I am disappointed by his lack of passing ambition.
In essence, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SEE HIM LEAVE, PROVIDED HE IS REPLACED WITH A BETTER PLAYER WITH PASSING AMBITION AND OBVIOUS QUALITY.