AC Milan are reportedly interested in signing Arsenal midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga... just 13 months after he arrived at the Emirates.
Lokonga, 22, was part of Mikel Arteta's £145million spending spree last summer. The Gunners paid Anderlecht £17.2m for the Belgium international's services, but he's struggled to make an impact in England - playing just 20 Premier League games to date.
If Lokonga leaves before September's transfer deadline, it will place further scrutiny on Arsenal's progress under Arteta. Since July 2019, the Gunners have invested more than £450m on players - but they are yet to become a Champions League club again.
As reported by Italian outlet TUTTOmercatoWEB, Milan have opened talks with Lokonga's representatives. Manager Stefan Pioli is keen to improve his midfield before the transfer window closes, just three months after winning the Serie A title.
Other possible targets for Milan include Hellas Verona's Adrien Tameze and Sassuolo's Davide Frattesi. Yet Lokonga could be the most realistic option due to his lack of game time at the Emirates. He only started three games in the second half of last season.
Lokonga was given a five-year contract when he arrived in England 13 months ago and it's unlikely he would leave the club on a permanent deal. Regardless of this, Arsenal fans will be concerned about their transfer strategy if Lokonga does move to Italy.
What do you think about Arsenal's transfer strategy? Let us know in the comments below!
The good
To keep scrutiny at bay, Arteta needs his other signings from last summer to perform. But how are they getting on? It's hard to deny Aaron Ramsdale has been a success, especially considering the furore that followed his £30million move from Sheffield United.
Critics could hardly believe that Arsenal had invested such a large amount of money in a player that suffered back-to-back relegations from the Premier League with Bournemouth and the Blades. They also expected him to be a back-up goalkeeper to Bernd Leno.
Yet Ramsdale, 24, has been superb for Arsenal since the move. He quickly took the gloves from Leno and has since made 39 appearances in all competitions, keeping an impressive 16 clean sheets. During that time, he's only conceded 42 goals.
Ben White has also done well in Arsenal's back line. The England international, 24, has made 33 Premier League outings for the Gunners since his £50m switch from Brighton and deserves some of the acclaim for Ramsdale's good clean sheet record.
Like Ramsdale, White's transfer fee was questioned by critics... but he's proven to be a successful signing so far. He can also be deployed at right-back, which will please Arteta as that allows him to play William Saliba and Gabriel at the heart of Arsenal's defence.
The questionable
Some Arsenal fans will disagree, but there are still question marks over Martin Odegaard . The Norway international, 23, completed a £30m move from Real Madrid last August following a six-month loan spell at the Emirates the previous season.
There's been some glimpses of his quality - scoring seven goals last season - and he's done well to be given the captain's armband. Yet he often goes missing and struggles with more robust play. He looks like a good signing and will need to confirm that this term.
The same could be said about Takehiro Tomiyasu . The Japan international, 23, arrived from Bologna for £16m last August and has done well when available. Yet his fitness has been a concern, playing only 21 Premier League games during his debut campaign.
With Saliba pushing White out to right-back, there's a chance Tomiyasu could become a bench warmer. Like Odegaard, the upcoming season will reveal a lot about his Arsenal future. Gunners fans should be confident Tomiyasu can become a club stalwart.
While Odegaard and Tomiyasu have the opportunity to confirm their potential this season, fellow summer 2021 arrival Nuno Tavares doesn't. The 22-year-old left-back has been sent out on a season-long loan to Marseille, with his Arsenal future in the balance.
Much was expected of Tavares last season due to Kieran Tierney's injuries, but he couldn't step up to the plate. He made just 22 Premier League outings and was even substituted during the first half of an FA Cup game against Nottingham Forest in January.
Tavares, who cost Arsenal £7m, will be hoping for a solid season in France. Overall, it's perhaps too early to tell if Arteta is a genius in the transfer market. Perhaps the only way for the Spaniard to answer that is by finishing in the Premier League's top four.
