Burnley interested in signing Arsenal’s Albert Sambi Lokonga on loan with Vincent Kompany eyeing a reunion with the midfielder he once dubbed ‘the new Yaya Toure’
- Burnley are interested in a loan move for Arsenal’s Albert Sambi Lokonga
- Vincent Kompany previously managed Lokonga when in charge of Ajax
- Burnley have also asked about 22-year-old Metz striker Georges Mikautadze
Arsenal midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga is a target for Burnley.
The Gunners may be willing to allow the Belgium international out on loan again following his spell at Crystal Palace in the second half of last season.
Lokonga, 23, also had interest from Sevilla prior to sporting director Monchi departing for Aston Villa.
Burnley have also asked about Metz striker Georges Mikautadze, 22, and Almeria’s El Bilal Toure, 21.
Lokonga joined Arsenal from Anderlecht in 2021 and has made 39 appearances for Mikel Arteta’s side.
When he was at Anderlecht, Lokonga was managed by current Burnley boss Vincent Kompany.
Speaking in 2021, Kompany revealed that he told Mikel Arteta that he labelled Lokonga as ‘the new Yaya Toure’
Kompany told the FIVE YouTube channel: ‘As I was still at City I was coming to a point where I was thinking about my future; management, carry on, sign a new deal there.
‘I was watching football from different countries and I saw Sambi play his first two games for Anderlecht, then he got a big knee injury.
‘But the first thing I did when I saw Sambi was I went to Mikel, and also Pep, but Mikel first and I said, “You’ve got to watch this guy, he’s the new Yaya Toure”.
‘And anyway, nothing comes from it, he’s got a cruciate ligament [injury] and then I end up falling into the management job at Anderlecht so I’m working with him now. I had the same conversation about him with Mikel, I still believe the same thing now [that he could be the new Toure].’
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Luke McNally makes Burnley revelation amid Coventry City speculation
The defender would love the challenge of trying to step up to the Premier League.
Burnley defender Luke McNally has said that he would relish the chance of trying to prove himself in the Premier League for the Clarets next season.
McNally joined Burnley from Oxford United last summer, but after featuring very little in the first half of the season, headed out on loan in January.
Coventry City was his destination, and McNally had great success at the Coventry Building Society Arena, going all the way to the play-off final with the club, only to lose out on a place in the Premier League on penalties.
Latest Luke McNally transfer news
After such a successful loan spell, there has naturally ben talk about McNally potentially returning to the Sky Blues this summer.
Indeed, as the Burnley Express report, there has even been speculation on social media that his announcement to join the club could be imminent.
The Burnley Express say that this is, however, not the case, and that such speculation is wide of the mark.
What has Luke McNally said about his Burnley future?
Given that he was not fancied, and well down the pecking order in the Championship last season, though, and the fact the Clarets are now in the Premier League, it does raise question marks about his Burnley future.
However, recently, McNally revealed he would relish the challenge of stepping up to Premier League level.
“You go into pre-season and stranger things have happened really, but I will just go in, keep myself as fit as possible and do as well as I can.” McNally told the LOI Central podcast, via Burnley Express.
“After that, we’ll see what happens.”
“I’d love that challenge,” McNally added, on trying to prove himself in the top-flight.
“I’ve jumped up a lot of levels before, so if I can do that one it would be unbelievable, but you just have to embrace any challenge you get.
“The main thing is to be playing. That’s the thing I need most at the minute.”
How long is left on Luke McNally’s Burnley contract?
As mentioned above, McNally only joined the Clarets last summer, which means contractually, he still has quite a while to run at Turf Moor.
Indeed, the 23-year-old’s current deal runs until 2026, and so he could potentially be at Burnley for at least another three years.
Whether game time will be available to him, and that is the case, though, remains to be seen.
It will certainly be interesting to follow developments regarding McNally’s future closely in the coming days and weeks.
