Manchester City has agreed to a deal worth around £10 million for Leicester City teenager Jeremy Monga, according to Fabrizio Romano. The 16-year-old England youth international will join City after making 30 appearances for Leicester last season — an absurd number for a kid his age, especially in the Championship.
Monga first showed up in the Premier League back in April 2025. He was 15 years old, coming off the bench in a 3-0 loss to Newcastle United. That debut made him one of the youngest players ever to appear in England’s top division. Most kids his age are still figuring out GCSEs. He was taking on Premier League midfielders.
Leicester dropped to the Championship last season and Monga kept playing. A lot. Thirty appearances in a promotion fight for a guy who couldn’t drive himself to training. That’s not normal. But Leicester just got relegated again, and that forced their hand. They couldn’t say no to City’s offer, especially with a sell-on clause or two built into the structure.
Arsenal had been circling Monga for months. There was real buzz that he’d end up in north London. But City moved fast when Leicester’s relegation became official. They’ve got a track record of hoarding young English talent — think Cole Palmer, Rico Lewis, Oscar Bobb — and Monga fits that profile. He’s a versatile attacker who can play across the front line, comfortable on either wing or underneath a striker. Technical, quick, fearless on the ball.
The deal is structured as a £10 million package with add-ons. That’s a lot for a 16-year-old, but City have the cash and they’re betting on his ceiling. He’ll likely start with the U21s or go straight into Pep Guardiola’s first-team training group. The club hasn’t officially confirmed anything yet, but Romano’s report lines up with what multiple outlets are hearing.
What makes this interesting is how early it happened. Summer window doesn’t officially open for a few weeks, but City got their guy before a bidding war could really heat up. Leicester fans are angry about losing another young star, especially one who chose to stay and play in the Championship when he could’ve forced a move earlier. But business is business, and Leicester needed the money.
One thing worth watching: Monga’s path to minutes at City. They’ve got Foden, Grealish, Doku, and Savinho already competing for spots. But if Pep likes what he sees in training, that U21 placement could be short. Palmer left because he wasn’t getting time. If Monga shows the same patience, maybe he carves out a role faster than people expect.
Leicester, meanwhile, starts another rebuild in the Championship. They’re losing their best young asset and don’t have an obvious replacement ready. Monga was their bright spot. Now they’ll have to find the next one.
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