Man City loan teenage £10m signing Monga to Championship leaders Swansea

Manchester City have loaned Jeremy Monga to Championship leaders Swansea City until the end of the season, with the deal confirmed on Wednesday morning after paperwork was lodged before Tuesday’s 11pm deadline.

The 17-year-old joined City from Leicester City this summer in a £10m deal and travelled with the first-team squad on their pre-season tour of Asia, hoping to earn a place in Enzo Maresca’s plans. However, Monga has not been included in any of City’s Premier League squads this season, and the club decided a spell at the top of the Championship would best serve his development. Swansea currently sit first in the second tier.

The announcement came on Wednesday morning rather than Tuesday night, a delay understood to be linked to Swansea’s fixture against Watford on Tuesday evening.

Monga’s pedigree at such a young age is considerable. He made seven Premier League appearances for Leicester at the age of 15 and followed that with 27 Championship outings last season, contributing regularly even as the Foxes struggled. His performances attracted interest from several clubs over the summer, including Arsenal, but he ultimately chose City.

“[Arsenal’s interest] was very strong because it was very close to me going there. Very close,” Monga told the Manchester Evening News during City’s summer tour. “The main decision was probably the pathway and the club itself. They’ve been so successful that it was a no-brainer when City calls. I feel like to me personally I see myself at City more. I see myself in blue.”

He added that the summer had been a period of reflection after a demanding season at Leicester. “Obviously once I heard City called in again it was really a no-brainer because it is such a successful club. It’s every child’s dream to win trophies and be at the top with the best.”

Fellow winger Ryan McAidoo has remained with City’s first-team squad, the path Monga had hoped to follow. Instead, regular minutes at a promotion-chasing Swansea side represent the next step in his development.