Arsenal have made a lot of successful signings under Mikel Arteta, but not every arrival was a hit.
Arteta silenced a lot of critics as his acquisitions of players such as Ben White and David Raya proved to be excellent despite facing some backlash over the decision to bring them in.
Some players took some time to settle before thriving at the club, with Kai Havertz becoming a key player after an initially poor start at Arsenal.
In other cases, some signings were not given the time or opportunities to develop well at Arsenal, and may not have done enough to convince Arteta that they could become key players.
Albert Sambi Lokonga is one such case, with the £15m 2021 signing now on loan at Sevilla, and the Belgian has opened up on his Arsenal spell.
Albert Sambi Lokonga explains why it was ‘difficult’ to succeed at Arsenal
Speaking to Spanish outlet Relevo, Lokonga claimed that Arteta was the most demanding coach he had worked with, and his time at Arsenal was a learning curve overall.
“He’s been the one I’ve worked with the most, and also learned the most from,” Lokonga stated of Arteta.
“He’s always there if you want to talk, but when you’re on the pitch he demands a lot. Although it’s the only way to lead a team like Arsenal. There a lot of demands. People are used to winning. And it’s normal. It’s Arsenal.”
Lokonga admitted that his spell at the Emirates was tough, but one which has helped him develop in his career.
“It was very difficult because all I wanted was to play. I think it was one of the most complicated moments of my career, although I learned a lot. Thanks to all that I am here today,” he added.
“You need to learn from that. Push everything you can and move forward. Don’t be left behind. And that’s what I’m doing.”
Why Albert Sambi Lokonga could not succeed at Arsenal
When Lokonga arrived in 2021, he joined a young squad which was beginning to realise their potential, as younger players such as Gabriel Martinelli and Emile Smith Rowe started to become key players.
The Belgian impressed in flashes, but he could not develop any consistent form. He was seen as the backup to Thomas Partey, but could not replicate his physicality at the base of midfield.
The following season, this began to show as he failed to provide adequate cover for Partey, which led to the signing of Jorginho, and Lokonga was shipped out on loan.
Arsenal have signed several midfielders since, and Lokonga is now levels below what is required to succeed at a title-challenging team now, but he will hope to forge a good career for himself elsewhere.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
