Arsenal trust the potential of young midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga, even after an unconvincing spell on loan at Crystal Palace this season.
The 23-year-old struggled for playing time in Mikel Arteta’s side before being loaned out to Palace in January, and he’s not yet managed to establish himself as a regular at Selhurst Park either.
Still, writing in his exclusive CaughtOffside column, Fabrizio Romano made it clear that Arsenal still rate Lokonga and could discuss sending him out on loan again in the summer.
It certainly seems like Lokonga has the potential to improve after a difficult start to life in English football, and it might be that he’d benefit from another loan spell to give him the confidence and experience required to make the most of his natural talent.
Lokonga is probably not ready to play for Arsenal just yet, but it’s interesting that Arteta and co. don’t seem to have given up on him just yet.
“It’s not been an easy loan spell at Crystal Palace for Albert Sambi Lokonga. Still, Arsenal trust his skills and his potential, but they want him to play,” Romano said.
“He needs to play. It’s possible they will discuss one more loan season, but this is something they will clarify with player and agent in June and not now.”