“New Yaya Toure” was suggested by Vincent Kompany to an EPL competitor, but the deal didn’t work out

This weekend, Vincent Kompany will lead Burnley to the Emirates to play Arsenal, but he will not be seeing the guy he sold to the Gunners in person.

When Burnley hosts Arsenal today, manager Vincent Kompany will have his hands full, but one player he suggested to the Gunners won’t be in the starting lineup for the home club.

In July 2021, Albert Sambi Lokonga, an Anderlecht player under Kompany, joined Arsenal for an estimated £18 million. Due to Lokonga’s exceptional achievements in Belgium, Kompany came highly recommended by Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who made the following revelation after the transfer: “I know Vincent very well and he talks so highly about Albert and the positive impact he had to Anderlecht in recent seasons.”

During his debut season with Arsenal, Lokonga made 25 appearances across all competitions, which was a rather successful start to his career. He did, however, fall down the ladder as the Gunners’ fortunes improved under Arteta, and at the beginning of this season, he signed a new loan agreement with Luton after being sent on loan to Crystal Palace in the middle of the previous campaign. However, injuries have hindered his development at Kenilworth Road, where he has only made two appearances for the Hatters thus far.

However, Kompany had foresaw great things for Lokonga, expressing his potential to Rio Ferdinand’s Vibe with Five YouTube channel just prior to his transfer to Arsenal.

“I was getting to the stage where I was considering my future while I was still a player for City. Supervisory? Keep going? Ink a fresh contract? Company disclosed. “I was watching football from various locations and nations. And after watching Sambi play his first two games, he suffered a knee injury.

“But as soon as I saw Sambi, I told Mikel, ‘You’ve got to watch this guy, he’s the new Yaya Toure,'” though. Either way, it doesn’t work out. He suffered a cruciate ligament injury, and I ended up taking a managerial position at Anderlecht, so I’m currently working with him. And Mikel and I had the same discussion about him, and I still think the same thing today.”

“I’m not sure I’ll do him a favour by saying this kind of stuff,” Kompany quipped in response to Ferdinand challenging him on his Toure assertion. What I enjoy about Sambi is that he always wants the ball, which is something Yaya didn’t always have in football. Give the ball to Sambi if the team isn’t performing properly. Give the ball to Sambi if the team is performing well. He won’t ever run from his obligations.

“He still needs to work on a few things, but if he recalls our conversations, he will know exactly what he needs to work on.” However, Yaya was a finisher, which is quite uncommon to have. About that [with Lokonga], I am unaware.

“The key is that when things get hard, you need players who don’t mind holding the ball.” Your work as a center-back ends when the ball reaches a specific location. Furthermore, you must be able to delegate it to those who can anticipate the next pass or play, assume accountability, challenge opponents, and maintain the tempo even when there is none left in the game. For me, that’s what Sambi has that makes him special.