Arsenal deadline day clearout as ‘next Yaya Toure’ joins Luton on loan as Crystal Palace lead race for outcast defender
Sponsored by
ARSENAL midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga is signing on loan with newly-promoted Luton and Rob Holding is in talks with both Crystal Palace and Sevilla over a move from the Emirates.
Belgian international Lokonga, a £17million signing from Anderlecht two years ago, has been given the green light to revive his career with the Hatters after an unsuccessful loan spell at Palace last season.
The 23-year-old central midfielder is surplus to requirements at Arsenal, where he is behind Declan Rice, Thomas Partey, Jorginho and Mo Elneny in the queue for a place in Mikel Arteta’s team.
Central defender Holding is weighing up his options after Palace’s late interest.
The 27-year-old is currently the longest-serving player at Arsenal after joining from Bolton in 2016 and was a key member of Arteta’s leadership group last season.
But he is way down the pecking order and Arteta doesn’t want to stand in his chances to make a fresh start with a new club.
READ MORE ON ARSENAL
Palace are keen to sign him on a permanent deal, which would involve a nominal fee in the region of £5m.
But if he goes to Arsenal’s Champions League rivals Sevilla it will be a loan deal.
The departures come after Flo Balogun, Kieran Tierney and Nuno Tavares all left earlier in the week.
Arteta said: “I don’t expect anyone else to come in this window and we’re working to find the best possible solutions for some players leaving us.
Most read in Football
CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
“The players are happy and the club has done some good business as well.
“We didn’t have space in our squad for Flo to have the minutes he needed and he wanted the chance to continue to develop his career.
“But he has gone to a good club with Monaco and I am really happy for him.
"I don’t expect anyone else to come in."