Manchester City have reached an agreement with Leicester City to sign highly rated forward Jeremy Monga, with the deal reported to be worth £12.5 million in total, according to The Athletic.
The fee is structured as £10 million upfront, with a further £2.5 million tied to performance related add ons and contingencies.
Arsenal had also explored a move but stepped away after deciding the valuation was too high, opening the door for City to push the deal through.
16 year old wide forward Jeremy Monga has emerged as one of England’s most exciting academy products.
Newly appointed City head coach Enzo Maresca has driven the move personally, having worked closely with Monga during his time in charge at Leicester in the 2023/24 season, and he remains a firm admirer of the youngster’s talent.
Monga made history as the third youngest player ever to appear in the Premier League, debuting at just 15 years and 271 days old, behind only Arsenal pair Max Dowman and Ethan Nwaneri.
He went on to make seven appearances for Leicester’s first team before the club’s relegation.
Last season he featured more regularly in the Championship, making 30 appearances, mostly from the bench, and contributing a goal and two assists as Leicester suffered a second successive relegation, compounded by a six point deduction for breaching the EFL’s profitability and sustainability rules.
His rise has not gone unnoticed elsewhere.
Real Madrid and Chelsea both monitored his progress through Leicester’s academy and under 21 setup, but a scholarship deal signed last year ensured Leicester would command a proper transfer fee rather than minimal compensation once his contract matured.
Monga will officially join City on July 10, his 17th birthday, when his scholarship converts into a professional contract.
His willingness to take on defenders stands out statistically too, averaging 7.8 take ons per 90 minutes across 1,088 minutes last season with a 36 per cent success rate, while also managing three key passes after beating a man, a sign of maturing decision making for a player so young.
Used mainly off the left at Leicester to allow him to cut onto his stronger foot, Monga has also impressed centrally and on the right for England’s under 18s.
Areas for growth remain, particularly his defensive awareness when tracking back and the sharpness of his final ball, but those are the kind of refinements expected to come naturally within City’s elite development structure under Maresca’s guidance.