What does Arsenal new boy Albert Sambi Lokonga want to be called?
Robin Bairner
- 19 Jul 2021 17:29 BST
- 3 min read
Albert Sambi Lokonga is Arsenal’s second signing of the summer transfer window, having arrived from Anderlecht for an upfront fee of €17.5 million (£15m).
The 21-year-old Belgium Under-21 international has played 78 first-team matches for Anderlecht but arrives in the Premier League as something of an unknown quantity to many supporters.
Sambi Lokonga has joined up with Arsenal as an alternative to Thomas Partey in the centre of the pitch, but there are still many unknowns about the new addition.
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Among the unusual question marks hanging over him are what he wants to be called.
With three apparent possibilities, the youngster has moved to clear things up quickly.
How Albert Sambi Lokonga wants to be known
Sambi or Albert, but you can call me Sambi
- Albert Sambi LokongaSpeaking to Arsenal’s media team, he explained: “First, my full name is Albert-Mboyo Sambi Lokonga.
“People call me Sambi, most of the time they call me Sambi.
“It’s fine. Sambi or Albert, but you can call me Sambi, it’s fine!”
So... Albert? Or Sambi?
We asked the man himself 👇 pic.twitter.com/ohpQXm2T1W— Arsenal (@Arsenal) July 19, 2021
This is reflected by what the new recruit will wear on his shirt next season, with his new No.23 jersey set to have Sambi as the name above it.
Indeed, Sambi will inherit the jersey number previously worn by David Luiz in each of the two previous campaigns before he was released at the end of his contract at the end of June.
He follows Nuno Tavares as the Gunners’ second addition of the summer, with hopes that he might be available for last week’s pre-season training camp in Scotland dashed by a delay in the deal being announced.
Sambi, however, could make his Arsenal debut in the upcoming Florida Cup friendly against Inter on Sunday, 25 July. Everton and Millonarios are the other clubs competing the competition, with the Gunners’ second match to be played on either the following Wednesday or Thursday, depending on the outcome of the game.
