Arsenal are looking to move several players on before the transfer window shuts on Monday.
The Gunners have spent big on incomings this summer, signing seven players for in excess of £250 million.
Piero Hincapie will become Andrea Berta’s latest acquisition, joining from Bayer Leverkusen on loan with an option to buy.
Once a deal for the Ecuadorian goes through, Jakub Kiwior is expected to sign for Porto, while four more players are also expected to leave the Emirates.
Hamburg close to signing Sambi Lokonga
Sambi Lokonga hasn’t played for Arsenal since January 2023.
The Belgian has been on loan to Crystal Palace, Luton and Sevilla over the last two years, and largely due to injury issues, now finds himself surplus to requirements at London Colney and devoid of many potential suitors.
Trabzonspor have been loosely linked with Lokonga, although nothing has advanced on this front since the initial reports broke a few days ago.
However, the Mirror now suggest that Hamburg are close to agreeing a permanent deal with the Gunners for the midfielder.
Given his contract in N5 expires in 12 months, the German club are only expected to pay a modest fee for the player’s services.
That said, Arsenal fans had likely all but given up hope of securing a fee of any kind for the forgotten man, yet Berta appears to have managed to find a club willing to pay for him.
Greek side PAOK were also said to have courted Lokonga, although he prefers a move to Hamburg.
The 25-year-old has been training with the Arsenal first team over the last month or so, but has known that his future lies elsewhere since returning to North London.
How much should Arsenal expect to make for Sambi Lokonga?
Lokonga has been described as ‘brilliant’ in the past, and he certainly has his qualities.
An effective ball carrier and passer from deep, his issues have largely been around his lack of defensive output and injuries.
This, combined with his contractual situation and relatively lucrative wages, means the Gunners shouldn’t expect more than an extremely minimal fee, perhaps between £3 million and £6 million.
Lokonga is currently on a purported £50,000-a-week (via Capology), which is modest in Arsenal terms, but it would make him the highest earner at Hamburg by a significant margin.
Thus, the Gunners being able to attain a fee of any sort would require him to be flexible with his wage demands.
from Arsenal Transfer News | Rumours, Deals & Targets | Arsenal Insider
Alfie Cairns Culshaw