The number six position in Arsenal’s team is set to undergo something of a rebuild this summer, with Martin Zubimendi expected to arrive from Real Sociedad.
Zubimendi will complete his move to the Emirates in July, signing for a reported £51 million from the Spanish club.
Meanwhile, Jorginho has left Arsenal after his contract expired, with the Italian joining Brazilian side Flamengo on a free transfer.
Thomas Partey is expected to sign a new contract, although this prospective new deal for the Ghanaian has been in the works for some time, and little progress seems to have been made on this front.
In the event that Partey doesn’t remain in N5, the Gunners may need to source another defensive midfielder who can deputise for Zubimendi, with Declan Rice now firmly considered a number eight by Mikel Arteta.
Arsenal should use Sambi Lokonga as Martin Zubimendi’s back-up
While Rice will occasionally play at the base of Arsenal’s midfield, he’ll largely be used as an eight, and the Gunners will therefore need someone who can fill in as a six in games where both the Englishman and Zubimendi need a rest.
This could be Partey, who is still likely to commit at least another year to the North Londoners, although Arsenal should be looking to move away from the 31-year-old.
While he managed to remain fit for most of last season, the Ghana international displayed signs of decline in his passing numbers, while he was also prone to making poor mistakes in his own defensive third.
Barcelona reportedly still hold an interest in Partey, and the Gunners should pounce on this potential opportunity to move the player on.
Some would argue that the issue with letting Partey leave, however, is that Arsenal would then have to allocate some of their budget to signing another number six.
That said, they may have the perfect internal solution already on their books.
Sambi Lokonga has returned from his loan at Sevilla and is expected to leave Arsenal this summer.
However, Arteta should instead consider keeping hold of the Belgian and using him as Zubimendi’s deputy moving forward.
Lokonga’s loans at Luton and Sevilla over the last two seasons may have been plagued by injury, but when he was on the pitch, he demonstrated some of the talent that he possesses.
A prolific progressive passer and solid ball carrier, Lokonga can definitely fill a sporadic squad role in Arteta’s squad, playing cup minutes and occasionally filling in during league matches against weaker opposition.
He’s more than adequate in lower-level games in which Arsenal dominate the ball, and would save the Gunners money from finding a replacement or on Partey’s lucrative contract.
Sambi Lokonga’s statistics at Sevilla
Spanish media outlets were generally enthused by Lokonga’s performances for Sevilla.
The 25-year-old made 22 appearances for Los Hispalenses in La Liga last season, registering two assists from deep in midfield.
| Sambi Lokonga’s La Liga Statistics 2024/25 | |
| Appearances | 22 |
| Assists | 2 |
| Pass Accuracy | 89.4% |
| Progressive Passes per 90 | 5.71 |
| Key Passes per 90 | 1.17 |
| Tackles per 90 | 1.35 |
| Interceptions per 90 | 0.55 |
| Progressive Carries per 90 | 1.47 |
Exceptional at retaining possession in tight spaces, Lokonga breaks lines with his passing and is generally very adept at progressing the ball in all phases of the build-up.
While he could produce more defensively, in the sorts of games Arsenal would use him next season, Arteta wouldn’t need him to stop opposition attacks too often.
It’s not an ideal solution, but it’s one the Gunners should consider as they look to invest the bulk of their resources into adding forwards to Arteta’s squad.
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