Arsenal agree important transfer deadline day move as Andrea Berta continues overhaul

Albert Sambi Lokonga has joined Hamburg after a transfer from Arsenal (Image: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Arsenal have agreed to Albert Sambi Lokonga's permanent exit to Bundesliga side Hamburg for an undisclosed fee. The move comes four years after the Belgian arrived during one of Mikel Arteta’s early seasons.

"I've been given a very warm welcome here and can hardly wait to work with these nice people," he said . "I'm a team player.

"I really want to help the team with my qualities – whether through goals, assists, or defensive work. It can start now: I want to get on the field and just play football."

He spent time on loan with Crystal Palace, Luton Town, and Sevilla before finally leaving the North London side. Arsenal succeeded in getting a permanent move for the midfielder , an outcome that had begun to look unlikely even in the late stages of the summer.

Signed from Anderlecht for a fee in excess of £15million , Lokonga was an immediate understudy to Thomas Partey, covering the Ghanaian during injury times. However, he was unable to establish himself in the team and struggled to develop as had been hoped when he signed as a young budding starlet.

He had impressed while with Palace under Patrick Vieira, but a change in manager saw his options limited, and he returned to Arsenal before leaving for another London-based Premier League side. At Luton, he also impressed, but injury would hamper his time with the then-newly promoted club.

Injuries would befall him again at Sevilla, and despite his loan move to La Liga and his words upon his arrival about hoping to stay in the future, the Spanish club decided against making the move permanent.

Now with his ties to Arsenal cut, he can set about reviving his career in Germany like many Belgian players before him. Expected to be joined by a familiar face of course in the form of Fabio Vieira who is moving on a loan move with an option to be made permanent next summer.

Andrea Berta's hopes of overhauling the club's reputation in the market for selling were high but it has not quite seen the recuperation of funds Arsenal might have hoped. A 'modest' fee is understood to have been agreed between Arsenal and Hamburg for Lokonga.