Arrives on the scene: Lokonga, the latest addition
Albert Sambi Lokonga, a versatile midfielder with a rich footballing background, is poised to make his Bundesliga debut for Hamburg SV (HSV). The 23-year-old is expected to replace Nicolai Remberg in the starting lineup, following the successful transfers orchestrated by Claus Costa and Stefan Kuntz on deadline day.
Lokonga's journey in football has been a global one, having played for Anderlecht, Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Luton Town, and Sevilla before joining HSV. His impressive resume has not gone unnoticed, with former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp praising his performance in his first training session with the club.
The Belgian midfielder is known for his adaptability, often learning from the best in the game. He has openly admitted to studying the behaviour and movement of basketball superstar LeBron James to improve his game.
Lokonga is anticipating a different playing style in the Bundesliga, given the pressing style common in German football. In his first game, he will face his former coach, Vincent Kompany, who selected him as captain at RSC Anderlecht at the age of 21.
Despite his accomplished career, Lokonga is humble about his potential as a leader at HSV. He prefers others to decide after five games, stating that he still has a lot to learn about Germany and its culture. In fact, he is likely to spend time learning German, given his linguistic abilities that currently include German, Spanish, French, Dutch, and Lingala.
HSV's sporting director, Jan Wendt, has praised the three transfers (Vuskovic, Lokonga, Vieira) as being "spot on" and believes they have significantly improved the squad's quality in the Bundesliga. The Scouting Program Player's data also suggests that both new signings could be significant reinforcements for HSV.
Lokonga describes himself as a family man and enjoys investing and watching basketball. However, it seems he is yet to cross paths with another basketball star, Dennis Schröder.
Wendt and Tim Schröder aim to revolutionise football with the Scouting Program and already advise several professional clubs. The programme's data-driven approach seems to have paid off with the signing of Lokonga and Vieira, who were both brought to London by Arsenal for 52.5 million.
As Lokonga prepares to step onto the Bundesliga pitch for the first time, fans can expect an "elegant, beautiful, creative" playing style from the midfielder who prefers to have the ball and play with his teammates. His debut is sure to be an exciting moment for both Lokonga and HSV.
