Premier League champions Arsenal are increasingly confident of winning the race for Leicester City wonderkid Jeremy Monga despite fierce competition from Manchester United and Manchester City, TEAMtalk can reveal.
The 16-year-old is regarded as one of the brightest young talents in English football and is now expected to leave Leicester this summer following the club’s dramatic relegation to League One.
Monga’s situation has alerted elite clubs across Europe due to the fact he is still yet to sign a professional contract with Leicester.
The England youth international does not turn 17 until July, meaning he cannot formally commit to professional terms until that point – but sources close to the situation indicate it is now highly unlikely his future will remain at the King Power Stadium.
TEAMtalk understands Arsenal believe they are currently in a very strong position. The Gunners have been pushing aggressively behind the scenes, and sources indicate there is growing confidence internally at the Emirates that they can beat both Manchester United and Manchester City to his signature.
As TEAMtalk previously revealed, all three clubs have made firm approaches for the teenager and continue to lead the race.
However, Arsenal’s pathway plans, development structure and recent success integrating elite young talent into the first-team environment are believed to have made a major impression on Monga and those around him.
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Arsenal battling hard to sign exciting 16y/o
Monga became one of the youngest players in Premier League history during his 2024/25 breakthrough season at Leicester and is already viewed by scouts across Europe as one of the standout English prospects of his generation.
Despite Leicester’s difficult campaign, Monga’s explosive pace, technical ability and confidence in one-v-one situations have consistently drawn admiration from top clubs monitoring his progress.
Man Utd and Man City both remain firmly in contention and neither club has given up hope of securing a deal.
City have long admired Monga’s profile within their wider youth recruitment model, while United view him as a player capable of fitting into the club’s ongoing focus on elite domestic young talent.
Chelsea, Tottenham and Newcastle United have also all made offers or proposals during the process, TEAMtalk understands.
There has additionally been interest from abroad. German giants Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig have both explored the possibility of bringing Monga to the Bundesliga, while Real Madrid have also previously tracked the teenager’s development closely.
However, sources indicate the expectation now is that Monga will remain in England rather than move overseas at this stage of his career.
Leicester expect to lose generational talent
Leicester remain desperate to keep hold of the teenager and would still welcome fresh talks once he becomes eligible to sign professional terms.
But following the club’s relegation and with interest intensifying rapidly from across the Premier League, TEAMtalk understands the teenager is now firmly expected to continue his development elsewhere.
For Arsenal, landing Monga would represent another major statement regarding the club’s long-term recruitment strategy and commitment to securing the best emerging English talent ahead of their domestic rivals.
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