Manchester City have agreed a £12.5m deal to sign Jeremy Monga from Leicester, although the move is not yet completed. The 17-year-old is expected to move after Leicester's relegation to League One, and Arsenal were leading the race before City moved ahead. Brentford were also in the frame.
Why City moved first
The attraction is easy to see from City’s side. They finished 2nd in the Premier League with 78 points, 77 goals for and a +42 goal difference, are 8th in the Champions League league phase on 16 points from 8 matches, and top Group G at the Club World Cup with 9 points from 3 games and a +11 goal difference.
That sort of pull matters when a club is chasing a teenager with obvious upside. Callum Powell, who works at CP Coaching Academy, said Monga’s "ability to manipulate the ball and his dribbling ability" are his main traits, adding that his "footwork, agility and technical ability is superior from most players of his age." Powell also said Monga is "not fazed" by pressure and is motivated by it.
The profile behind the fee
Monga has already made 37 appearances for Leicester, including 7 as a substitute in the Premier League. He became Leicester's youngest starter aged 16 years and 34 days in a Carabao Cup first-round defeat on penalties by Huddersfield, then made his Premier League debut against Newcastle in April 2025, playing the final 16 minutes in a 3-0 defeat at St James' Park.
This looks like a long-term bet rather than an immediate first-team fix, and that is probably the right read. City are buying a 17-year-old with pace, dribbling and a temperament coaches clearly trust. What remains unresolved is where he goes next, because it is not yet known whether he joins the first team or the academy straight away. The deal is agreed, the move is not finished, and the next step is still to be confirmed.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →