Albert Sambi Lokonga claims he prefers to play as a No.8 with ‘more freedom’ to move forward, while he has also revealed the advice he got from Thierry Henry.
The midfielder moved to the Emirates from Anderlecht over the summer in a deal worth up to £18m and has been trusted immediately by Mikel Arteta, starting four Premier League games.
He is likely to be called upon more over the coming weeks and months after Granit Xhaka suffered an injury against Tottenham that will keep him out of football action until December.
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Lokonga is in contention to partner Thomas Partey in midfield and, while he insists he is happy to play any role Arteta asks of him, his preference would be the box-to-box role.
Asked to name his preferred position, No.6 or No.8 – in a Q&A with the club’s website, Lokonga said: ‘That’s a good question. I like to be a No.8 so I can attack and I can defend.
‘More freedom, that’s what I like. But I also like No.6 so it’s difficult! ‘I like both but the most important thing for me is to be on the pitch.’
Before Lokonga joined the Gunners he was rumoured to have been recommended by Belgium assistant coach – and Arsenal legend Henry and he received some advice from the Frenchman after making the move to Arsenal.
Asked if he spoke to Henry before joining Arsenal, Lokonga said: ‘Before I joined, no, because I was with him for only two days and then I left the camp with the national team.
‘But he gave me some advice about Arsenal, the way the people are, the mentality I need to have. Some little things like that.’
On how quickly he has adapted to the team, he added: ‘I didn’t expect it to go so quick. So, yeah, I’m happy that I already had my three games for Arsenal and hope I will continue and to have a lot more games.’
When quizzed about his first impressions of training, the midfielder said: ‘I wasn’t nervous, but I couldn’t wait to see the way they trained, the quality, the intensity, how they treated each other. This is a different environment than in Belgium, so that was good for me.’
