Agents have now approached Liverpool to offer Jurgen Klopp the last-gasp transfer of Arsenal midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga to secure his exit route before deadline day.
That is according to Get French Football News, which reports that Liverpool are desperate to sign a new central midfielder. Klopp has made the position his priority to improve before the sales slam shut on Friday night. Premier League teams have to 23:00 BST to agree on deals.
Representatives working for Lokonga have even now reached out to Liverpool to offer Klopp the Arsenal outcast’s last-gasp transfer. But the Reds boss is not minded to accept a chance to sign the 23-year-old at present. The Anfield outfit have no plans in place to target a move.
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Agents offer Lokonga’s transfer from Arsenal to Liverpool
Lokonga is yet to feature for a single second so far this season after suffering a muscle injury during pre-season. He has not even made any of manager Mikel Arteta’s matchday teams in the Premier League or the Community Shield. His last outing for the club was on January 27.
The Belgian played at Manchester City as Arsenal exited the FA Cup in the fourth round after a 1-0 defeat. Arteta then sent Lokonga out on loan to Crystal Palace on deadline day for the rest of last season. But the one-cap gem failed to remain in favour after Patrick Vieira’s exit.
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Arteta let Lokonga leave on loan having only played the Verviers native just 15 times for 859 minutes last season. He earned six of his outings for 478 minutes during the Europa League group stage. But he only started two Premier League games and did not play past October 1.
A move to Selhurst Park under Arsenal legend Vieira initially paid off as Lokonga started five of his seven appearances. The Frenchman trusted him in each of their games together. But Roy Hodgson later only started him once through two outings from a potential 10 matches.
Lokonga could leave Emirates Stadium before deadline day
Suffering an injury in pre-season ensured Lokonga missed out on his chance to earn Arteta’s trust again. While the Belgian also saw his possible transfer to Burnley collapse this summer. The Mirror reported at the end of July that the Clarets were close to securing a loan transfer.
Since then, football.london has reported that AS Monaco are interested in sealing a transfer for Lokonga to leave Arsenal. While Fabrizio Romano has touted the midfielder as an option for Brighton & Hove Albion. Reports have even linked the Belgian to Jose Mourinho’s Roma.
Like with Liverpool now, intermediaries offered Lokonga’s transfer from Arsenal to Roma this summer, per Gazzetta dello Sport (27/7, p14). But also like Klopp now, the Giallorossi turned the deal down. Roma’s general manager Tiago Pinto personally rejected Lokonga’s signature.
Arsenal are happy to cut their loses on Lokonga’s transfer as the midfielder has not fulfilled his potential. They signed him off RSC Anderlecht in July 2021 as the Belgian club’s captain under Vincent Kompany. But he has not moved on to cement his importance under Arteta.