Opinion: It would be no surprise to see Arsenal player join Burnley following Crystal Palace loan | OneFootball

Burnley are closing in on a return to the Premier League and with their strong league position in mind, key figures behind the scenes at Turf Moor are already likely to be planning for life in the top flight.

They are in a much better position than the likes of Sheffield United and Middlesbrough, who will feel they have a smaller chance of securing promotion than the Clarets given they're 16 points clear of third place with a game in hand.

The Lancashire side's recruitment team can afford to focus on targets just for the top tier - and that's ideal for them considering they look set to endure another busy summer - with quite a few additions needed to give them a real chance of remaining afloat at the top level of English football.

Albert Sambi Lokonga may be one man that could heavily contribute if they secure his services this summer.

The Clarets have had a makeover in several positions since Vincent Kompany's time at the club - but they didn't radically change their midfield despite Josh Cullen and Samuel Bastien arriving.

Cullen, in fairness, has been a game-changer but they could definitely benefit from some more depth in this area when the summer comes along, especially if Bastien leaves.

CJ Egan-Riley can operate in the middle of the park but he may go out on loan again, so someone like Lokonga could help to provide some top-tier quality in this area.

His presence could also enable Josh Brownhill to play higher up and that's something the former Bristol City man could benefit from, recording an impressive six goals and nine assists in 41 league appearances this season.

How could the Vincent Kompany factor benefit Burnley?

Lokonga was previously at Anderlecht before making the move to Arsenal in 2021 and enjoyed a very fruitful 2020/21 campaign in Belgium, registering three goals and two assists in 27 league appearances as well as contributing defensively.

Current Burnley boss Kompany was in charge of the Belgian giants during that campaign and will know the 23-year-old well because of that.

That could allow the midfielder to settle in quickly and thrive at Turf Moor, something that will maximise the chances of this potential move working out for all parties, including Arsenal who may benefit from his development in Lancashire if they loan him out again.

The Kompany factor could also persuade Lokonga to pick the Clarets over other clubs, so this is a move that could definitely happen regardless of whether they would face competition for his signature or not.

Would Crystal Palace want to keep Albert Sambi Lokonga?

The player is currently on loan at Selhurst Park but it's unclear whether they would want to pursue a fresh move for him.

Establishing himself as a regular starter since his move, he was only absent at the weekend because he was ineligible to play against his parent club and is likely to be heavily involved between now and the end of the season if he can prove his worth.

However, current boss Roy Hodgson is only taking over for the rest of this term and it remains to be seen whether his successor is keen to lure him away from the Emirates again.

If he isn't, that could allow Kompany to swoop in and secure his former man on a temporary deal.