Why Arsenal Have Made 16-Year-Old Sensation This Summer’s ‘Priority Target’

Arsenal are reportedly close to making Leicester City’s 16-year-old wonderkid Jeremy Monga their first signing as Premier League champions.

The Gunners are looking to strengthen their title-winning squad over the summer, primarily focusing on reinforcements in the final third. Despite an incredibly successful 2025–26 campaign which also saw them reach the Champions League and Carabao Cup finals, Mikel Arteta finds himself without many elite options in the forward department.

Seeking to remedy that issue in the upcoming transfer window, The Times report that Leicester’s precocious winger Monga is a “priority target.”

Monga is the third-youngest appearance-maker in Premier League history, only behind Arsenal duo Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman, and he’s considered one of England’s future stars having already impressed in Leicester’s first-team squad.

The Foxes are resigned to losing their prized academy product following their shock relegation to League One, with a significant transfer fee also helping ease their growing financial concerns.

Monga is set to become a professional with Leicester on July 10, when he turns 17, and that means the East Midlands side will receive a fee for his services—either via a club-to-club or agreement or settled by tribunal. They are expected to seek more than $13.3 million (£10 million) to sanction a deal.

Why Do Arsenal Want to Sign Jeremy Monga?

Leicester turned to Monga in desperation during their disastrous 2024–25 campaign. An atrocious season saw them bereft of attacking invention, with their band of misfiring forwards unable to steer them clear of Premier League relegation.

Monga not only made his debut at 15 years and 271 days old, he went on to feature in a further six Premier League matches, and his involvement only grew in the Championship.

The teenager appeared set to be Leicester’s savior in the second division, scoring a wonderful goal in defeat at Preston North End before a lovely assist during a victory over Birmingham City within the opening four games of the season.

An impressive run early in the term saw him promoted to the starting XI, but Monga, rather unsurprisingly, was unable to maintain such standards within a team devoid of belief. He managed just one more assist during the remainder of the campaign as he reached 30 appearances across all competitions.

Jeremy Monga with a great take for the #LCFCU21s - and it's a GOTM candidate 🗳️
— Leicester City (@LCFC) January 8, 2025

However, the promise still shines dazzlingly bright. Monga has become renowned already for his blistering speed and lightning-fast feet, allowing him to change direction in an instant and burst past opposition fullbacks. While primarily deployed on the left wing, where he can cut in and take aim with his preferred right boot, he’s also comfortable on the opposite flank.

Monga remains a raw talent in need of fine-tuning, but the forward’s ceiling is incredibly high. Arsenal are willing to take the gamble.

Monga’s 2025–26 Championship Stats

Statistic	Jeremy Monga in 2025–26
Appearances	27
Minutes	921
Goals	1
Assists	2
Chances Created	10

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