Fabrizio Romano: Arsenal negotiate final details for exit of star Arteta believes is a ‘very intelligent player’ | OneFootball

Arsenal midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga is keen on joining Sevilla, and both clubs are in talks regarding the final details of the deal, according to Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

The Belgium international is not in the plans of manager Mikel Arteta, who dubbed him ‘a very intelligent player’ when he joined the Gunners from Anderlecht in July 2021.

Lokonga spent last season on loan at Luton Town having been at Crystal Palace during the second-half of 2022-23 and is now headed elsewhere on another temporary exit.

However, Arsenal want an option to buy included in any loan deal and would love to make it compulsory.

While the 24-year-old still has a year left on his contract with the Gunners, with an option to extend it by 12 months, he has already played his last game for the club.

He was told heading into 2023-24 that he was not in the plans of manager Mikel Arteta for the campaign, and he has now been told it is best for both parties to part ways permanently.

Moving to Sevilla will be good for Lokonga but he will not be playing European football should he move there after they finished 14th in the 2023-24 La Liga campaign.

He was impressive while at Luton last term but injuries limited him to just 17 league appearances, which saw him miss out on the Belgian squad to the European Championship.

The midfielder could not force his way back into the Arsenal team despite featuring in 12 of the opening 13 games of 2021-22, starting nine times.

Lokonga eventually fell out of favour and only played seven more league games for the rest of the campaign, and while he also played in six of the first eight league games of 2022-23, he was eventually loaned out and has played his last game for Arsenal from every indication.