Arsenal seal £15m move for Leicester wonderkid Monga ahead of United and Chelsea

Arsenal have won the race to sign Leicester City teenager Jeremy Monga, with the 16-year-old winger agreeing to join the Premier League champions ahead of rivals Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea, according to TEAMtalk.

The two clubs are yet to finalise terms but are expected to enter compensation talks imminently, with the fee anticipated to fall between £10m and £15m. Monga does not turn 17 until 10 July, at which point he will sign his first professional contract with Leicester — making a compensation agreement a legal requirement before any transfer can be completed.

Monga made his Premier League debut for Leicester in April 2024 aged just 15, and went on to make seven substitute appearances in the top flight towards the end of that campaign. He has now accumulated 37 appearances for the Foxes in total, including regular Championship outings last season despite Leicester’s double relegation from the Premier League. He also scored in a 2-1 defeat by Preston North End in August 2024.

The England Under-19 international reportedly wanted Leicester to receive a meaningful financial settlement in recognition of the club’s role in his development — a factor that shaped his thinking throughout the process, even as multiple European clubs circled.

Arteta’s interest in Monga is part of a broader push to strengthen Arsenal’s youth pipeline. The Gunners are also pursuing 17-year-old Georgian midfielder Andria Bartishvili, and Monga would join an emerging group of young talents at the Emirates that already includes 16-year-old Max Dowman and 19-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly. Monga and Dowman have previously played together for England Under-19s, despite both being under 17 at the time.

The move comes off the back of Arsenal’s most successful season in over two decades. Mikel Arteta’s side won the Premier League title in 2025-26 — their first since 2004 — and reached the Champions League final before losing to Paris Saint-Germain.