Vincent Kompany’s bold comments to Mikel Arteta sums up Arsenal’s project

After Albert Sambi Lokonga made the switch to Arsenal in the summer, Mikel Arteta revealed that former Manchester City star Vincent Kompany recommended him to the Spaniard

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Vincent Kompany has reiterated that Albert Sambi Lokonga is “the next Yaya Toure” as he hailed Arsenal’s summer signing.

After the midfielder made the switch to the Emirates, Mikel Arteta revealed that the former Manchester City star – who is now the Anderlecht manager – recommended him.

Towards the end of Kompany’s playing days, as he was considering going into management, he kept a close eye on Lokonga coming through the ranks, before he would end up working alongside him at Anderlecht.

And the Belgian claims that he actually first told Arteta about the youngster when the Spaniard was working under Pep Guardiola, as he dubbed him the next Yaya Toure.

And Kompany still believes that to be the case after seeing him star for Arsenal in his debut season.

Could Albert Sambi Lokonga be the next Yaya Toure? Let us know in the comments below!

He said on Rio Ferdinand’s Vibe with Five YouTube channel: “When I was still a player for City, I was coming to a point where I was thinking about my future. Management? Carry on? Sign a new deal?” said Kompany.

“I was watching football from different countries, different places. And I saw Sambi play his first game – his first two games – then he got an injury to his knee.

“But the first thing I did when I saw Sambi is I went to Mikel and said, ‘You’ve got to watch this guy, he’s the new Yaya Toure.’

“Anyway, nothing comes of it. He’s got a cruciate ligament and then I end up falling into the management job at Anderlecht, so I’m working with him now.

“And I had the same conversation about him with Mikel, I still believe the same thing now.”

When challenged by Ferdinand on his Toure claim, Kompany joked: “I’m not sure I’ll do him a favour by saying this kind of stuff.

“What I like with Sambi – and it’s rare in football, what Yaya did have – is he wants the ball no matter what.

“If the teams not doing well, give the ball to Sambi. If the team’s doing well, give the ball to Sambi. He will never hide away from his responsibility.

“He has things he has to improve… if he remembers the conversations we’ve had, he will know exactly what he still has to work on.

“But at the same time… Yaya was a finisher and that’s a very rare thing to have. I don’t know about that [with Sambi].”

“The point is you need players who are not afraid to have the ball when the going gets tough. As a centre-back, your job stops at a certain point on the ball.

“And you need to be able to give it to people who see the next pass, see the next move, take responsibility, take people on and put that tempo in when there’s no tempo in the game anymore.

“For me, that’s what Sambi has that makes him special.”