Dressing-room joker at HSV: Lokonga names surprise figure | OneFootball

The term “bullseye” was invented for transfers like this: Sambi Lokonga joined HSV last summer for just a few hundred thousand euros and made an instant impact

On Deadline Day, the Rothosen pried the Belgian away from Arsenal for a negligible fee. Depending on the media report, the figures range between €100,000 and €300,000. Lokonga immediately became a key player at the Volkspark and noticeably stabilized the newly promoted side, which had still looked shaky at the start of the season. In the end, he played a decisive role in the club’s comfortable survival with five goals over the campaign.

Lokonga has also settled in brilliantly at HSV on a personal level. Since Jonas Meffert’s departure in the winter, he has been part of the so-called “leadership group,” which serves as a kind of expanded players’ council and brings internal team matters to assistant coach Richard Krohn.

The 26-year-old also gets on excellently with his teammates. The midfielder is considered a rather quiet but extremely popular character. Time and again, pictures emerge of him joking around with other HSV stars.

Photo: IMAGO

Lokonga names HSV’s funniest players

But who is actually the funniest player in the squad? Asked about the most entertaining Bundesliga player in a quick-fire round with kicker, Lokonga named two teammates from Hamburg. His answer was somewhat surprising: “It’s either Albert Grønbaek or Fabio Vieira.”

It is hardly surprising that Lokonga chose Grønbaek. The Dane is a noticeably cheerful character, laughs a lot, and always tries to maintain a positive atmosphere. He is even said to have kept that up during his several-week injury layoff at the start of his time at HSV. Internally, that is said to be greatly appreciated.

Vieira’s inclusion is far more surprising. In interviews, the classy technician comes across as reserved. You would not really expect cheeky remarks or jokes from him. But away from the cameras, things apparently look very different. “If you spend an hour with them, you’ll normally laugh,” Lokonga says about Grønbaek and Vieira. Like almost all HSV fans, the box-to-box midfielder is therefore likely hoping the two loanees stay on — for sporting as well as dressing-room reasons.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.