Premier League champions Arsenal have been looking to sign young Leicester star Jeremy Monga and look to have lost out to Manchester City in the race for his signature
Jeremy Monga looks on
Arsenal have been looking to sign Leicester City star Jeremy Monga(Image: Leicester City FC via Getty Images)
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Manchester City are reportedly set to pip Arsenal to the signing of Leicester City's teenage attacker Jeremy Monga. The Gunners have been pushing to sign the 16-year-old, who has featured in both the Premier League and Championship.
But that move now looks to be off with BBC Sport now claiming that City have entered the race to sign him. Enquiries have been made towards a potential move in recent days, with the Athletic reporting that the Gunners have dropped out of the race due to the valuation being too high.
Monga made his Premier League in the 2024/25 season as a 15-year-old for Leicester. He made seven league appearances between April and the end of the season.
The Foxes managed to see off interest from clubs last summer - despite their relegation to the Championship. Monga signed an academy scholarship when he turned 16.
That deal is due to turn professional this summer, on his 17th birthday (July 10). While a fee with Leicester could be agreed, there is also the possibility of a tribunal to decide if whichever club signs him has paid a fair price for the youngster.
The forward joined an illustrious list of young stars when he became the second-youngest player to make a Premier League appearance. He has since been knocked into third place by Arsenal’s Max Dowman.
Jeremy Monga.
Jeremy Monga could be Premier League bound this summer(Image: Stephen White - CameraSport via Getty Images)
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Monga was just 15 years, eight months and 28 days old when he came off the bench in a 3-0 defeat against Newcastle United on April 7, 2025.
The young star made 30 appearances in all competitions during the 2025/26 campaign. He became the Championship’s youngest-ever goalscorer when netting against Preston North End in August.
The teenager has recently been on international duty with England's Under-18 side. He scored the decisive goal in the 2-1 win over Greece Under-19s as well as getting on the scoresheet in the 6-1 win over Cyprus.
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Arsenal want to improve their roster of young talent. Dowman and Myles Lewis-Skelly have been big successes from the academy, but the side that won the Premier League also included William Saliba, who joined at 18 years of age.
The Gunners have already agreed deals to sign Victor Ozhianvuna who will join the north London club in the January transfer window of next season.
City, meanwhile, announced on Thursday that they have reached an agreement with Nottingham Forest for Elliot Anderson. The Blues struck a deal with the East Midlands club last month and the midfielder received permission from the FA to undergo a medical in New York last week.
The England star will become a club-record arrival for City, who are paying a straight fee of £116million to land the 23-year-old. Anderson will sign a five-year contract at the Etihad and will add depth and quality in midfield following the departure of Bernardo Silva.