Arsenal have won the race to sign Leicester City wonderkid Jeremy Monga, with TEAMtalk understanding the highly-rated teenager has chosen the Gunners despite a host of elite clubs attempting to hijack the move and with Andrea Berta next turning his attentions towards a Georgia Under-21s star.
The 16-year-old has emerged as one of the most sought-after young talents in English football and has attracted interest from virtually every major club in Europe over recent months.
However, sources have confirmed to TEAMtalk that Monga has now agreed to join Arsenal, with the North London club moving into talks with Leicester City to finalise a compensation package.
The deal, while not yet complete, is expected to cost between £10m and £15m, with Arsenal now firmly in control of the situation.
TEAMtalk understands Monga has made it clear that the Emirates Stadium is his preferred destination, allowing Arsenal to negotiate from a position of strength despite continued interest from elsewhere.
Indeed, we can reveal that Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea all made late attempts to persuade the teenager to choose them instead.
Sources indicate those approaches continued into this month, but Monga’s mind was already made up, and he is now poised to become the club’s second summer signing after the Gunners also agreed to pay the €52m (£45m, $59.5m) to turn Piero Hincapie’s loan from Bayer Leverkusen into a permanent deal.
However, Arsenal are not yet done, and once Monga is wrapped up, it’s understood they have another young prospect on their radar…
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Arsenal also chasing Georgia Under-21 international
The England youth international has informed interested parties that Arsenal is where he wants to continue his development.
That decision represents a major coup for Arsenal’s recruitment team, who have worked extensively on the deal and believe Monga has the potential to develop into a first-team player in the years ahead.
Leicester, meanwhile, are now discussing terms with Arsenal.
Monga has already signed a professional contract with the Foxes that is due to come into effect on his 17th birthday on July 10, meaning compensation discussions between the two clubs are required before the move can be completed.
TEAMtalk understands Leicester rejected Arsenal’s opening proposal, but negotiations remain ongoing and there is optimism that an agreement can be reached.
Importantly, sources close to the player insist Monga is pleased that Leicester will receive significant compensation for his departure.
The teenager remains grateful for the role the Foxes have played in his development and is understood to have wanted the club to be properly rewarded as part of any transfer.
Nevertheless, his focus is now firmly on Arsenal. The Gunners continue to invest heavily in elite young talent and Monga is viewed internally as another major addition to the club’s long-term strategy.
His arrival would follow a series of aggressive moves in the youth market as Arsenal look to secure the best emerging prospects from both the UK and overseas.
TEAMtalk can also reveal that Arsenal remain in talks over a deal for FC Kolkheti and Georgia Under-21 international Andria Bartishvili, with sporting director Andrea Berta continuing to drive recruitment plans across multiple levels of the club.
Those efforts now appear set to deliver another significant success.
With Monga’s agreement already secured and Leicester engaged in discussions, Arsenal are hopeful of completing the deal before the end of the month.
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