Arsenal are expected to be busy on transfer deadline day.
The Gunners have signed seven new players already in this window, and Piero Hincapie is expected to complete his move to the Emirates before the 7:00 pm deadline.
That deal is all but done, but Arsenal have several outgoings to sign off on, as they have quite a few players who are surplus to requirements.
One such player is on the verge of joining another club.
Albert Sambi Lokonga completes medical ahead of Arsenal exit
Albert Sambi Lokonga joined Arsenal from Anderlecht in the summer of 2021.
The Belgian started his Gunners career brilliantly. He played a number of games in the first half of his debut season and held his own in the Premier League.
However, Lokonga lost his form and confidence in the second half of the campaign, and he has since been sent out on loan three times.
The midfielder, hailed as ‘terrific‘ by Mikel Arteta, has been training at Arsenal since the start of pre-season, but it has been very clear that he has no future at the club.
Arsenal fans were fearing that no club would come back in for Lokonga, but Hamburg in the Bundesliga are about to sign him permanently.
That’s according to Sky Sports Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg, who has revealed that the player’s medical is done.
He tweeted late on Sunday night: “Albert Sambi Lokonga has completed his medical at Hamburger SV. Results expected tomorrow (Monday) morning.
“The final details of the transfer of the 25 y/o central midfielder from Arsenal will then be confirmed.”
🚨🩺 Albert Sambi #Lokonga has completed his medical at Hamburger SV. Results expected tomorrow morning.
The final details of the transfer of the 25 y/o central midfielder from Arsenal will then be confirmed.@SkySportDE 🇧🇪 pic.twitter.com/zqmeHndt44
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) August 31, 2025
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Albert Sambi Lokonga failed to prove Vincent Kompany right at Arsenal
Lokonga was very highly rated during his time at Anderlecht.
The midfielder worked with Vincent Kompany there, and the Manchester City legend felt that Lokonga would become a superstar.
Speaking on Rio Ferdinand’s podcast a few years ago, Kompany compared Lokonga to Yaya Toure.
He said in 2021: “The first thing I did when I saw Sambi is I went to Mikel and said, ‘You’ve got to watch this guy, he’s the new Yaya Toure.’ I still believe the same thing now. What I like with Sambi – and it’s rare in football, what Yaya did have – is he wants the ball no matter what.
“If the team’s not doing well, give the ball to Sambi. If the team’s doing well, give the ball to Sambi. He will never hide away from his responsibility. The point is, you need players who are not afraid to have the ball when the going gets tough.
“For me, that’s what Sambi has that makes him special.”