Sambi Lokonga medical booked as Arsenal exit announcement imminent

Arsenal midfielder Albert Sambi Lokongo is set to join Sevilla after a season on loan at Luton Town.

The Belgium international is set to join the La Liga outfit on loan with a €12m (£10m) buy option and a 25 per cent sell-on clause included in the move.

The Gunners wanted it to be an obligation to buy but with Lokonga’s contract up next summer, their hands were tied. Earlier this year, the midfielder claimed he had not been contacted by Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta during his loan spell at Kenilworth Road.

During his tenure at the Hatters, he made 17 Premier League appearances registering one goal and three assists. The 24-year-old joined Arsenal from Belgian side RSC Anderlecht in July 2021.

After featuring sporadically in his first two seasons at the Emirates Stadium, he was loaned to Crystal Palace until the end of the 2022-23 season – he made 9 appearances for the Eagles. Lokonga can play as a holding midfielder and a box-to-box ‘number eight’.

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Nuno Tavares will also join him in departing north London as he has agreed to join Lazio. Tavares, 24, joined the Gooners in 2021 after showing potential in his native country Portugal while playing for Benfica. Initially, as a result of Kieran Tierney being injured, the defender featured regularly impressing Arteta.

The 24-year-old was loaned to Marseille at the start of the 2022-23 season he made 31 Ligue 1 appearances – he impressed with six goals and two assists. After returning to England that summer he was loaned to Nottingham Forest but struggled to make an impact under Steve Cooper although he featured more under his compatriot Nuno Espirito Santo.

Tavares is expected to sign a five-year contract in Italy according to Fabrizio Romano.