Pranav Nair
Albert Sambi Lokonga rejected a move to Manchester United earlier in his career
According to Het Laatste Nieuws via Sport Witness (h/t Football.london), Albert Sambi Lokonga rejected the opportunity to join Manchester United earlier in his career.
The 21-year-old is closing in on a deal to join Arsenal this summer. The midfielder has established himself as a talent to watch out for during his spell at Anderlecht. It would appear he is now ready to bring his talents to the English shore.
Lokonga could have done so earlier had he accepted offers from either United or Liverpool to be part of their academies. The player, however, chose against it, seeking to get himself a diploma first.
“A diploma was a priority.”
Our loss could be Arsenal’s gain as the Gunners close in on their first signing of this summer. While Lokonga is far from the finished article, his performances have turned a lot of heads in recent times.
He was called up to the Belgium side earlier this year and left a positive impression on assistant manager Thierry Henry. A legend of the game, the fact that the French ace was impressed speaks volumes of Lokonga’s ability. (h/t Daily Mail)
Given where Arsenal are now, a move to the Emirates could set him up for a bigger move in the future. He had earlier named Barcelona and Manchester City as teams he is keen on playing for.
“FC Barcelona or Manchester City: I dream of clubs like that.”
While United have brought in a number of top young talents in recent years, we have also missed out on others. The fact that we are not in contention for Lokonga today could suggest we are not in this point of time interested anymore.
Whether that will change in the future remains to be seen.
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Lokonga came through the academy at Anderlecht and has since made 78 appearances for the Belgian giants. He has also represented Belgium at various youth levels. It is a matter of time before he makes his senior bow.
