Sambi Lokonga, a midfielder for Luton who is currently on loan from Arsenal, has declared that he will return to Kenilworth Road in some form, calling his transfer to Town on loan the “best decision” of his life.
The 24-year-old, who missed three months of action after the 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers in September due to an injury-plagued start to his career in Bedfordshire, has become a major fan favourite for the Hatters over the second half of the season. After joining the team again in December, Lokonga played nine league games and developed a great friendship with Ross Barkley. However, an injury forced him to leave the game at halftime against Liverpool, as Town let a 1-0 lead slip and lost 4-1 at Anfield. This setback kept Lokonga out of action for a further number of games.
When he returned to full fitness in late April, Luton was relegated to the Championship after Town was unable to maintain their winning streak of three out of five top flight games, including a thrilling 4-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion. Without him, and with nearly half their squad missing at times due to injuries, Town was unable to maintain their excellent form.
Social media user Lokonga said the following when talking about his tenure in Bedfordshire: “My adventure with you has come to an end, but my love and admiration for you will stay forever Hatters! Despite the outcome of the game, I wanted to express my gratitude to my teammates, coach, staff, and supporters for the experiences we have shared. You have all helped me to be at my best this season. I’ll be rooting for you and am confident that this team will succeed in the future! Peace and love.”
By chanting for Lokonga to stay over the weekend, Town supporters made it quite evident that they would like to see him back in a Luton shirt next season. A Luton News poll also revealed how well-liked he is. When asked what lies ahead for the Belgian international, who has only made 39 appearances for the Gunners since joining from Anderlecht for a £17.2 million transfer in July 2021, he said, “For me, I had a discussion with Arsenal and the conclusion was the best thing for me was to leave the club, so it’s up to my agent and the club to find something,” in an interview with BBC Three Counties Radio. I still have a one-year contract there with an additional one-year option, so we’ll see what transpires.
“I’ve never seen this type of support, and the love I’ve received has been incredible. Without a doubt, I’ll return here. I think coming here to play for this club was the best decision of my life, and I appreciate Rob (Edwards) for allowing me to travel with him. Even if I’m not playing for Luton, I will definitely come see the lads.
“Everything about this place has delighted me; I had a great time.” We’ve developed significantly as a team and the club as well since we had to swiftly adjust to the Premier League, so it was an incredible experience. I believe that the club’s ideals and what it stands for made it the right place for me, and I’m really glad that I made this decision.
Unfortunately for Luton, they had to contend with more than just Lokonga’s absence following the Liverpool match. At one time, as many as 13 first team players were out, forcing Town to start a lot of teenagers on the bench in order to maintain a squad. The midfielder didn’t want to focus on it while reflecting on the season, saying, “Of course we had a lot of injuries and I’m sure that affected the result at the end, but this is something we can change anymore.” They were in a predicament they couldn’t get out of. Moving ahead is necessary, and ideally Luton will return to the Premier League. As we neared the finish line, we would want to express our gratitude to all of our supporters.
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