Arsenal legend Ian Wright admits he is worried about the development of Albert Sambi Lokonga after he failed to impress in the win over Oxford United in the FA Cup.

The Belgian, who was signed from Anderlecht for £17m in 2021, lasted barely an hour at the Kassam Stadium before he was replaced by Granit Xhaka. Asked to assess the midfielder’s performance, Wright said he has failed to kick on as hoped:

“I think with Lokonga, Oxford played very well the time he was on, it was very hard for him to find space. Unfortunately for him, he got taken off and Vieira stayed on and he was able to show the quality once they got tired and he got a bit more space. You’re hoping at some stage it will kick in for Lokonga because at the moment it doesn’t seem like it’s happening for him. He’s just got to be patient I think.”

Wright is correct to raise concerns about Lokonga’s progress. His former manager at Anderlecht, Vincent Kompany, had compared him to none other than Yaya Toure but the 23-year-old has really struggled to make an impact since his arrival at the Emirates.

At the end of last season, the player revealed that he seriously considered leaving London due to the lack of game time but his performance against Oxford suggests he won’t be given another start in the Gunners’ midfield any time soon.