Manchester City just threw a wrench into what looked like a done deal. Arsenal believed they were close to signing Leicester winger Jeremy Monga for around £10 million. But City has entered the chat. And they might move fast enough to steal him.
According to BBC Sport, City has held interest in Monga for a while but only started making serious inquiries this week. Arsenal still has the most advanced negotiations, and Brentford is in the mix too. But City’s new head coach Enzo Maresca has been directly involved in talks, per Fabrizio Romano. That’s a sign this isn’t just a casual look.
Who is Jeremy Monga and why does this matter?
Monga is 16. He’ll turn 17 this month, which is when his current scholarship deal at Leicester converts to a professional contract on July 10. That date matters. Any club that wants him needs to act before Leicester can lock him down to longer terms. Or they can just trigger a transfer now and let the lawyers sort out the details.
He’s already a first-team regular for Leicester, which is wild for a kid his age. In the 2025/26 Championship season, he played 27 games, scoring one goal and adding two assists. That one goal came against Preston North End and made him the youngest scorer in Leicester’s history. Not bad for a guy who can’t legally drive in most states.
Monga also holds a weird piece of Premier League trivia: he’s the third-youngest player ever to appear in the competition, behind only Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman. He made his Premier League debut at 15, when Leicester lost 3-0 to Newcastle. That’s the kind of fact that sticks with you.
What happens next
Arsenal is still the favorite here, according to reports. But City doesn’t make moves like this unless they think they can close. Maresca’s personal involvement is a tell — he wants this kid in his system. Leicester knows they’re losing Monga eventually. The question is when and for how much.
Arsenal has other irons in the fire this summer. Morgan Rogers is their big target. They’re also looking at Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle and PSG winger Bradley Barcola. But Monga was supposed to be the easy get. Now it’s not so simple.
Monga was born in Coventry. He’s an England youth international but also eligible to play for Zambia. That dual nationality could matter down the line for international football, but for now, the focus is on club. Specifically, which club.
The next week will tell the story. Leicester’s contract deadline is July 10. City and Arsenal both want their answer before then. Someone is going to be disappointed.
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