Arsenal have agreed that Albert Sambi Lokonga will sign for Sevilla on loan for one season.
Lokonga earned £17m from Anderlecht to Arsenal in 2021 and then made 24 appearances in a promising debut season at the Emirates.
But the 24-year-old has struggled to get regular playing time like Mikel Arteta and has spent the last 18 months on loan at Crystal Palace and Luton, where he inspired last season.
When Luton were relegated from the Premier League, Lokonga earned praise for his all-round performances in the middle of the park alongside Ross Barkley.
However, Arsenal consider Lokonga surplus to requirements next season (with Jorginho, Thomas Partey, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard arguing every minute in the engine room) and the Gunners need the Belgian to go on loan for the third time in another so many years. .
According to Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal and Sevilla have reached an agreement for Lokonga, so La Liga will cover the midfielder’s salary for next season.
A date has been set for Lokonga’s medical and Sevilla will have the chance to snap up the Belgian foreigner for a fee of €12m (£10m) next summer.
Firstly, Arsenal had insisted on a buy-to-own clause in any potential deal for Lokonga, but Sevilla managed to convince the north London giants of their demands.
Lokonga, who was left out of the Belgian squad for this summer’s European Championship, still has two years left on his Arsenal contract.
The former Anderlecht star has made a total of 39 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners and is yet to score for the club.
Last season, Lokonga scored one goal and recorded three assists for Luton in the English top flight.
Speaking to the BBC in May, Lokonga admitted he would likely leave Arsenal before the 2024/25 season.
“I had a conversation with Arsenal and came to the conclusion that the most productive thing for me was to leave the club,” he said.
“Now it’s up to my agent and the club something.
“I still have a contract there, one year plus one year, so let’s see what happens. “
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