Luton Town are giving serious consideration to terminating the loan agreement for Albert Sambi Lokonga as they might search for an upgrade.
According to TEAMtalk, Albert Sambi Lokonga might return prematurely to Arsenal as Luton Town consider terminating his loan agreement. The 24-year-old loanee has not played too much owing to a severe hamstring injury. But the Hatters are looking to bring an upgrade to the Belgian in the next window.
Albert Sambi Lokonga At Arsenal: The Story So Far
Arsenal signed Albert Sambi Lokonga two years ago as part of their brand-new squad rebuild. Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar embarked on a run to bring some talented young stars on the brink of regular first-team football.
With Thomas Partey suffering an early season injury, the door opened for Lokonga to make a mark, and he did. After that spell, the Belgian fell off with his performances for Arsenal, which has seen him take a bit-part role under Arteta.
He had also raised concerns over his reduced game time, forcing Arsenal to sanction a loan move to Crystal Palace last January. Then, in the summer, the Gunners signed Declan Rice and Kai Havertz to shore up their midfield. Hence, they allowed the 24-year-old to leave on another temporary spell, this time to newly-promoted Luton Town.
How Has Lokonga Fared At Luton Town?
Lokonga’s time at Luton did not start well, as he fell victim to a severe hamstring injury. The issue saw him miss games until the Manchester City clash, where he came on as a substitute. He also started the ill-fated clash against Bournemouth, as Luton captain Tom Lockyer suffered a cardiac arrest.
The report states Lokonga started only due to Marvelous Nakamba’s suspension. Now, there are suggestions that Luton may consider terminating his contract in January. The Hatters could potentially search for an upgrade in the loan market.
Arsenal could see the 24-year-old loanee return prematurely, which could pose a fresh problem for Arteta in his quest to bring in a new midfielder. The Gunners may not view Lokonga as a regular in their team and might look out for new solutions.
The Gunners are already planning on signing a new midfielder in January or someone like Douglas Luiz in the summer. For now, Luton may not immediately decide to terminate the loan deal. Instead, they might test him out for a few games to see how he performs. Beyond that, they always have the chance to send him back to Arsenal if his displays are not up to the mark.
