Arsenal have agreed a fee with Leicester City to sign Jeremy Monga ahead of Manchester United and Chelsea, according to reports. The 16-year-old winger has attracted interest from several Premier League and European clubs following Leicester's back-to-back relegations.
Monga's rise to prominence
Monga made seven Premier League appearances during the 2024-25 season as Leicester were relegated to the Championship, becoming the second-youngest player behind Arsenal's Ethan Nwaneri to feature in the competition. He continued to break records last season, becoming the youngest player to start a match for Leicester and the youngest goalscorer in Championship history.
He made 30 appearances across the campaign but was unable to prevent Leicester from suffering another relegation, though they would have stayed up had it not been for a points deduction for breaching PSR rules. Leicester wanted Monga to sign his first professional contract but accept he will leave after the Foxes dropped into League One.
Transfer race and fee
A number of Premier League giants contacted Leicester to discuss a deal, with Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea all keen to secure the services of one of the brightest talents in English football. However, it is new champions Arsenal who are leading the race, having agreed a £10m fee with Leicester, according to talkSPORT. It is claimed Monga has also given the green light to a summer move to the Emirates Stadium despite interest from several other clubs.
Arteta's squad strengthening
Arsenal are keen to bolster Mikel Arteta's title-winning squad, and while more high-profile and expensive signings will be secured, Monga's transfer will be seen as a shrewd coup. Arsenal chief Josh Kroenke insisted he was determined to back Arteta in the summer transfer window after the Gunners ended their long wait for a Premier League title. 'The business never stops,' Kroenke said. 'Right now there are already other teams who are trying to strengthen and come at us for next season. We need to be aware of that. We've already had a few different conversations about different areas where we think we can improve on and off the pitch.'
Van Nistelrooy's praise
Manchester United legend Ruud van Nistelrooy, who managed Monga at Leicester, described the teenager as a 'fantastic talent'. 'You could see glimpses of his great qualities, he's a great winger and has speed,' van Nistelrooy said. 'He's a fantastic talent – a great boy, he deserved these minutes and hopefully, more to come.'
Other transfer targets
Arsenal are also interested in signing England World Cup star Morgan Rogers and are long-term admirers of Argentina's Julian Alvarez. The north London outfit are looking to strengthen further as they aim to defend their Premier League title.
