Manager admits he ‘would love’ to sign ‘amazing’ £15m Arsenal ace this summer

Luton Town manager Rob Edwards admits he ‘would love’ to sign Albert Sambi Lokonga on a permanent basis with the Arsenal loanee proving himself to be a ‘brilliant player’ at the Premier League battlers.

If Luton do survive the drop in their maiden top-flight campaign, that will owe much to the success of one of the division’s more unlikely central midfield partnerships.

Few would have imagined, when the window opened last summer, that September would roll around with Edwards fielding a combination of Albert Sambi Lokonga and Ross Barkley in the centre of the park,

Arsenal’s £15 million forgotten man moving to Kenilworth Road on loan and linking up with an England international rolling back the years as the autumn leaves start to fall from the trees of Barkley’s career.

Arsenal loanee shining at Luton Town

Lokonga’s discipline and aggression has given Barkley the freedom to push forward and wreack havoc in the final third, though that is not to say the Belgium international cannot contribute to the attacking side of the game himself.

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“I love him. He’s amazing. I think he’s a brilliant player,” Edwards tells Luton Today, Lokonga grabbing assists in big wins over Brighton and Sheffield United.

“I told him as we were walking off the pitch after training, ‘god you’re some player, I love watching you play.’ He’s great. He’s been great for us.

“A brilliant person. So hard working, really humble, really talented, very tactically aware, in the right place at the right time to control a game, takes the ball under pressure. He’s giving us a final pass as well now.

“He’s looking like, for me, a really complete midfield player.”

When pressed on the possibility of signing the former Anderlecht captain on a permanent basis, meanwhile, Edwards indicated that he would jump at the opportunity so long as Arsenal’s demands are not too prohibitive.

Permanent deal on the cards for Albert Lokonga

“I would love to,” adds the ex-Watford and Fleetwood Town boss.

“I don’t know if we’re going to be in that kind of ball park, that kind of market. But we’d love to have him here longer term.

“That’s for further down the line and I don’t want to get into that right now.

But I love working with really, really talented people. Players that are good people as well, who are really hard working, want to learn, want to get better.

“And he ticks every box.”

Lokonga – who also confirmed interest from Burnley last summer – should be in for a busy afternoon on Sunday. Manchester United’s visit to Kenilworth Road will place the Belgian in direct competition with Bruno Fernandes.

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