Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp recently expressed his astonishment at Arsenal's decision to loan out their talented midfielder, Albert Sambi Lokonga. The 24-year-old Belgian player is currently on loan at Premier League side Luton Town.
Lokonga joined the Gunners from Anderlecht back in 2021 for a reported £17.2 million fee. However, he has so far made only 39 appearances for the north Londoners. After spending the second half of the 2022-23 season on loan at Crystal Palace, he joined Luton Town ahead of the ongoing season.
Despite his limited appearances for Arsenal, Lokonga has been impressive during his time with Luton Town this season. He has formed a formidable partnership with Ross Barkley in Luton Town midfield and put up commendable performances.
Klopp praised Lokonga’s effect ahead of Liverpool’s clash
Ahead of Liverpool's Premier League clash against Luton on Wednesday, February 21, Klopp expressed his surprise at Arsenal’s decision to loan out such a promising player like Lokonga.
Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, said:
“[Albert Sambi] Lokonga when you see him playing and you think, oh - He’s an Arsenal player and they loaned him? Interesting.”
Klopp also lauded Lokonga's strength and experience as key assets that have contributed significantly to his performance this season. The Belgian midfielder recently showcased an impressive performance against Manchester United where he made a superb block off Bruno Fernandes' shot.
In addition to this notable feat, he has played 13 times for Luton this season and registered two assists which further underscores his value as an effective team player.
The Premier League table is wide open right now for every team
As it stands now in the Premier League table, Liverpool leads with an impressive tally of 57 points from just 25 matches while Luton are positioned lower down in the table at number eighteen with only twenty points garnered from their twenty-four games so far.
The decision by Arsenal to loan out Lokonga has certainly raised eyebrows, especially considering his impressive performances at Luton Town. As Klopp's comments suggest, the Belgian midfielder's strength and experience could have been valuable assets for the Gunners. However, as it stands now, Lokonga is making a name for himself at Luton Town and will undoubtedly continue to impress in future matches.
