Vicent Kompany’s Burnley are getting closer to signing an Arsenal midfielder ahead of their return to the Premier League next season.
According to The Sun, Vincent Kompany wants to reunite with Albert Sambi Lokonga at Burnley next season in the Premier League with the player expected to be allowed to leave the Gunners this summer, if their valuation of the player is met.
The report states Burnley want to sign the Belgian on a permanent deal this summer with the Gunners happy to sell, however a loan move with an option-to-buy could be the eventual solution.
The 23-year-old was on loan at Crystal Palace last season, where he has made nine appearances since joining the club in January.
Lokonga fell out of favour under Mikel Arteta early on in the 2022/23 campaign and it remains to be seen whether the player will get another chance in North London next season or whether he’ll be sold on a permanent basis.
Vincent Kompany knows the Belgian well after their time together at Anderlecht during the 2020/21 campaign, before Lokonga moved to Arsenal for a fee of £17million. The Burnley manager once compared the player to Premier League legend, Yaya Toure.
It’s expected Arsenal will look for a fee of more than they brought him for, if they are to sell Lokonga permanently this summer.
Sambi Lokonga in action for Crystal Palace this season. [Image Credit: Getty Images]
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The ex-Man City captain even revealed he recommended the youngster to Arteta, before the north London giants swooped.
“When I was still a player for City, I was coming to a point where I was thinking about my future. Management? Carry on? Sign a new deal?”
“I was watching football from different countries, different places. And I saw Sambi play his first game – his first two games – then he got an injury to his knee. But 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.”
Arsenal are eyeing up midfield options of their own ahead of next season with Kai Havertz already signed as well as a deal for Declan Rice getting closer and selling Lokonga, as well as others, could help make that deal happen.
Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey have also been linked with moves away from the club ahead of next season.
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