Chelsea have a really solid first team squad now, but that won’t stop the Blues chasing young talents – in fact the whole model is built around a constant influx of new talent at the bottom of the pyramid. The academy can provide a lot of it, but if we want world class players to emerge, it needs to be supplemented along the way with fresh blood.
So no matter how well we’re doing at the top of the club, where the first team are locked in second place and looking upwards, there will always be rumours linking us to new young talent, and that’s just the category Jeremy Monga is in.
The 15 year old is one of the true wonderkids of English football, and according to CaughtOffside Chelsea are in for him. Manchester City are also keen as they try to hoover up the best talent for themelves.
Jeremy Monga during the Friendly Match between Italy U16 and England U16. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
Jeremy Monga during the Friendly Match between Italy U16 and England U16. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)
£15m Monga could be site of major transfer battle
The CaughtOffside piece reckons Monga is valued at £15m, an insane sum for someone so young, yet one we can see being paid if his rapid development continues until this summer.
A winger who sometimes plays as a striker, Monga’s all around game has already seen him called up the England Under 16s, and as a Leicester product there’s some reasonable speculation that Enzo Maresca is already aware of his talent.
But let’s face it, it’s not about Maresca when it comes to these decisions. He’s busy picking the team for today’s game against Spurs, it’s the scouts and the sporting directors who are making these deals happen.
We don’t expect to see much before the summer, and maybe beyond, but be in no doubt that this is one youngster Chelsea are watching closely.