Arsenal have agreed on a transfer fee to sign Leicester City winger Jeremy Monga, according to talkSPORT.
The 16-year-old is widely regarded as one of the best emerging talents in the country. He made his debut for the Foxes in the Premier League at just 15 years and 271 days against Newcastle United.
Then manager Ruud van Nistelrooy described him as a ‘fantastic‘ talent after the game.
The youngster played just 921 minutes in the Championship for the Foxes last season, but made his mark by becoming the league’s youngest-ever goalscorer against Preston North End in August.
Arsenal have now agreed to sign him from the Foxes for around £10 million. The Gunners have beaten eight clubs in the race, including Manchester United and Newcastle United, as per talkSPORT.
Monga will formally pen a professional contract when he turns 17 on July 10.
Arsenal poised to secure Monga’s signature
Monga, who is primarily a left-sided winger, has been on Arsenal’s radar for several weeks, and it appears the Gunners are on the cusp of securing an agreement with the Foxes.
The club could have signed him next month without a training compensation package, but that would have meant a lengthy tribunal. Arsenal have avoided it by settling on a transfer fee.
£10m is a big outlay for a 16-year-old wide player, but the Gunners believe in his immense potential. Monga showed glimpses of his quality during his cameo appearances in the top-flight.
He did not get much exposure in the Championship with less than 1,000 minutes, but managed three goal contributions. With the Foxes relegated to League One, the teenager has made the right decision to move on to further his development.
Monga could have a full pre-season with the Gunners’ first team this summer before the club and manager Mikel Arteta decide on his next step. There is a possibility that he could be loaned out next season to secure valuable senior experience.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com