Albert-Mboyo Sambi Lokonga was born on 22 October 1999 in Verviers, Belgium, and is of Congolese descent. He came through the youth academy at Anderlecht, joining their setup in 2010 and signing his first professional contract in November 2017. He made his senior debut for the club in December that year, going on to establish himself as a regular starter from the 2019–20 season onwards. His composed performances in Anderlecht's midfield attracted attention across Europe, and in July 2021 he completed a £17.2 million move to Arsenal in the Premier League.
At Arsenal, manager Mikel Arteta praised Lokonga's intelligence and maturity. He featured in the Amazon documentary series All or Nothing: Arsenal during his debut campaign. Subsequent loan spells followed — at Crystal Palace for the second half of 2022–23, then at Luton Town for 2023–24, where he earned consistent praise from manager Rob Edwards despite the club's relegation. A further loan to La Liga side Sevilla followed in 2024–25, before he completed a permanent transfer to Bundesliga club Hamburger SV in September 2025.
A composed, technically assured central midfielder, Lokonga is known for his ability to keep possession and read the game under pressure.
Hamburger SV represent his first permanent home outside of Belgium and England, offering him a stable platform to develop further in the Bundesliga.
On the international stage, Lokonga progressed through Belgium's youth ranks before earning his first senior cap in September 2021, coming on as a substitute in a 5–2 World Cup qualifier victory over Estonia. His brother, Paul-José M'Poku, is also a professional footballer.