Swansea City head coach Vitor Matos has admitted he is unsure whether Manchester City loanee Jeremy Monga will remain in south Wales for the rest of the campaign, with the two clubs in regular contact over the teenager’s situation.
Jeremy Monga has struggled for minutes at Swansea City since joining on loan from Man City.More Videos
City’s summer business was dominated by marquee names, but one talented teenage prospect slipped under the radar.
Among the arrivals was Jeremy Monga, the 17-year-old winger signed from Leicester City for a reported up-front fee of £10 million and earmarked as one for the future.
A season-long loan to Swansea City on deadline day was meant to hand the youngster regular football during a crucial stage of his development.
So far, it has not worked out that way. Monga has not even made a Swansea matchday squad, and the club’s head coach has now offered a blunt assessment of where the youngster stands.
Matos: ‘Jeremy hasn’t made the squad, but let’s see’
Vitor Matos did not sugarcoat the position Monga finds himself in as the Swansea boss explained that the teenager remains available for selection but has slipped behind others in a squad that has enjoyed an incredibly strong start to the campaign.
“He’s available, of course,” Matos said, as quoted by Wales Online. “But at the moment, we’ve a really competitive squad. We need to make decisions regarding all the possibilities, to try to cover all scenarios on the bench as well, regarding how the game goes. So far Jeremy hasn’t made the squad, but let’s see.”
Monga arrived at the Etihad Stadium with a sizeable reputation, having rewritten age records during his breakthrough at Leicester City and prompting Manchester City to snap him up after they were relegated to EFL League One.
The Swansea loan was intended to help Monga bank the minutes a 17-year-old needs, part of a loan pathway City frequently use to bring young talent through. That he has not even made a matchday squad has, understandably, puzzled supporters.
Manchester City kept in the loop
Matos also shed some light on the constant dialogue between Swansea and Manchester City over the loan, with the January window already looking like a potential turning point.
“We are in contact all the time, of course. There’s a lot of things that when you have a player on loan you need to do and communicating is one of them,” he said. “So there’s a lot of communication and we are here with an open book about it.”
Pressed on whether a January return to Manchester was possible, Matos didn’t exactly rule it out. “Let’s see, we don’t know,” he added.
“At the moment that’s how the situation is and then he’s trying to make steps. He’s trying to compete. He’s trying to improve in a competitive squad, of course.”
Competition for places at high-flying Swansea
Monga’s wait is being prolonged by the form of those around him, with summer arrivals Moussa Yeo and Joseph Opoku having impressed since their moves to the Championship. Matos was keen to paint the teenager’s situation as a question of patience rather than a sign of any lack of ability.
“I think there’s still a lot of time. He’s a really young player with a lot of potential, there’s no doubt about that,” Matos said. “That’s why he’s with City and played games with Leicester. But at the moment that’s our squad so let’s see for the future.”
It goes without saying that Manchester City will be watching closely. A loan is only as valuable as the minutes it yields and, if Monga’s opportunities do not start flowing, it seems inevitable that a recall will be on the table.
On the other hand, the challenge of forcing his way into a Swansea side flying high at the top of the table could yet prove a valuable learning experience if he succeeds.