Audio By Carbonatix
Arsenal have completed the signing of Anderlecht and Belgium youth midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga on a long-term contract.
The fee, although undisclosed, is believed to be around £17.2m.
Having joined Anderlecht at 15, Lokonga made his first-team debut in December 2017, and has gone on to make 78 appearances, scoring three goals.
"Albert is a very intelligent player who has shown great maturity," said Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.
"He has been coached well by Vincent Kompany and his team at Anderlecht. I know Vincent very well and he talks so highly about Albert and the positive impact he had to Anderlecht in recent seasons.
"We're confident Albert's ready for the next stage in his development and we're looking forward to welcoming a new member to our squad with his quality and presence."
Arsenal technical director Edu added: "There was a lot of interest in Albert and he was a big target for us.
"He will bring us strength in depth in the centre of midfield."
The midfielder, who will wear the number 23 and have Sambi on his shirt, has played seven times for Belgium Under-21's, scoring two goals.
Lokonga will join his new team-mates after he has completed the current isolation regulations for international arrivals into the UK.
Arsenal are also closing in on the transfer of Brighton and England defender Ben White, for £50m, having already taken 21-year-old left-back Nuno Tavares from Benfica for £8m this summer.
Latest Stories
-
He entered at eight. He is now 16: Ghana’s children growing up in prayer camps
3 hours -
‘Development must not always begin from Accra’ — Anwelle Foundation launched in Jirapa
3 hours -
PKO trio eye victories at Odwira Festival
5 hours -
346 Ghana Navy recruits pass out after 26 weeks of intensive training
6 hours -
Newsfile to discuss EOCO-MP arrest, drug trafficking, speech arrests and $235m water debt
6 hours -
JoyNews gets results as listeners raise GH¢40,000 to help 17-year-old student with cerebral palsy attend SHS
6 hours -
Vice President calls for stronger local pharmaceutical production to reduce medicine imports
7 hours -
The brewing tension at KNUST; Beware the Ides of October….
7 hours -
Health Ministry moves to integrate traditional medicine into mainstream healthcare
7 hours -
550 pupils in Kintampo South get educational lifeline as ‘Seeds of Hope’ reaches farming communities
8 hours -
Opoku Mensah urges Christian Council, House of Chiefs to speak up on democratic freedoms
8 hours -
Teacher unions’ strike: Minority demands immediate payment of teacher arrears, 20% deprived area allowance
8 hours -
The Accra-Kumasi Expressway: Building it right
8 hours -
Beyond gold exports: Building value and economic resilience from Ghana’s gold
8 hours -
2027 AFCONQ: Ghana under pressure as Gambia beat Somalia 2-1
9 hours