The €18m Arsenal transfer mistake nobody is talking about

Tom Weber

• Updated: 9 Feb 2026 13:14 CST
• 4 min read

Analysis

Arsenal's failure to properly utilise Albert Sambi Lokonga is looking like a huge mistake with each passing game at Hamburg.

The Gunners have been notoriously bad sellers in recent years. Of course, such a sweeping generalisation ignores the fact that there have been "good" sales, such as getting €30 million for Folarin Balogun or €29.7m for Eddie Nketiah.

On the whole, however, Arsenal's outgoing business has not been great. Just €14.3m has been raised from departures this season, meaning that the Premier League leaders have the biggest net spend in football in 2025/26.

As a result, Arsenal are thought to be sailing close to the wind with UEFA's Squad Cost Ratio rule, and this could necessitate some potentially painful exits in the summer. This situation could have been avoided had the Gunners obtained more value from their previous sales.

The departure of Albert Sambi Lokonga, in particular, looks incredibly bizarre in hindsight. Promoted Bundesliga side Hamburg paid just €300,000 to sign the Belgian last year, and what was already considered a coup at the time now looks like an undeniable masterstroke.

Lokonga is starring for HSV

The 26-year-old has been one of the revelations of this current Bundesliga season. Lokonga has become a fan favourite due to his consistently outstanding performances.

SciSports data shows that Lokonga has been one of the most reliable midfielders in the German top flight this season. Surprisingly for a player previously seen as a holding midfielder, the Belgian has excelled in a more advanced role.

Lokonga has notched four goals this season and ranks well in terms of chance creation and final third passes. HSV fans can't praise him highly enough.

"Sambi Lokonga is the most complete player who has worn the HSV jersey during my time as a fan," Alex, a well-known HSV supporter, wrote on X. "We haven't had a player in the squad since [Doulgas] Santos who doesn't have a clear weakness. Acceleration, vision, work rate, game intelligence, off-the-ball runs, and technique are all flawless."

Another fan replied: "He recognises spaces so well with the ball at his feet. He really glides with the ball at his feet - that's what makes him so much fun to watch."

A third supporter wrote: "I became a fan around 2006, back then I still got to cheer for a few gems like Ze Roberto. But since then, in my opinion, we really haven’t had anyone like Sambi Lokonga. I fully agree. The fact that Arsenal basically gave him to us for free is a miracle."

The Belgian had to come off injured after an outstanding first half against Heidenheim at the weekend. HSV have announced that he will miss a few weeks of action, which is a huge blow.

His injury-proneness also goes some way to explaining why Arsenal ultimately gave up on him. Although he was mostly fit during his time at the club, he repeatedly struggled for fitness during loan spells at Luton and Sevilla.

However, when he was fit, he also performed at a high level for both clubs. That is why it was bizarre that Arsenal sold him - a player they once paid €17.5m for - for peanuts last summer.

Ultimately, he was a victim of the rapid changes at Arsenal. He was not afforded the time to acclimatise to Premier League football in Mikel Arteta's ever-changing team, and the side quickly evolved beyond the need for him.

Arsenal fans won't mourn the loss of Lokonga, given what their club is on the verge of achieving, but selling him for just €300,000 is looking like an increasingly baffling decision.

The FootballTransfers app

Check out FootballTransfers' new app for all of football's big storylines, transfer rumours and exclusive news in one convenient place directly on your mobile device.

The FootballTransfers app is available in the Apple App Store. Download here:

•App Store