Arsenal are set to launch a second bid for Jeremy Monga after Leicester City knocked back their opening offer for the 16-year-old winger, according to sources speaking to ESPN. The Gunners have firmly identified Monga as a priority summer target, and they are not walking away without a fight.
Arsenal Jeremy Monga Pursuit Heats Up as Leicester Face Financial Pressure
Monga announced himself on the senior stage last season, racking up 37 appearances for Leicester despite still being a teenager. That is a remarkable return for any player at his age, and it has clearly caught eyes at the Emirates. Meanwhile, Leicester find themselves in a desperate position — relegated to League One and squeezed by EFL financial regulations, the club face real pressure to move players on. Monga currently sits on a scholarship contract, but that deal automatically converts to a professional arrangement on 10 July when he turns 17. In effect, that guarantees Leicester a transfer fee, though sources are clear that the winger’s departure looks inevitable regardless.
As things stand, Arsenal have not yet settled on how they would use Monga if the deal gets done. The club must decide whether he steps straight into the first-team environment at the Emirates or heads out on loan to sharpen his development elsewhere. Either route makes sense for a player of his profile.
Elijah Upson Also on Arsenal’s Summer Radar
Furthermore, Arsenal are not stopping at Monga. The Gunners are also moving for Elijah Upson, the 18-year-old son of former England international Matthew Upson. The younger Upson turned down a professional contract at Tottenham Hotspur and will become a free agent when his scholarship expires at the end of June. That is a serious statement of intent from a teenager with options — and Arsenal want him. BBC Sport has covered the growing trend of English clubs targeting young homegrown talent this window, and Arsenal are clearly playing that game hard. Two young English prospects in one summer window? The Gunners mean business.