Editor’s note: this is an updated version of an article first published in June.Manchester City have completed the £12.5million signing of Leicester City winger Jeremy Monga, after beating Arsenal in the race for the talented 17-year-old England youth international.Newly-appointed City head coach Enzo Maresca was behind the club’s drive for Monga, having known the player from his time as Leicester head coach in the 2023-24 season.City have paid £12.5m, comprising £10m plus £2.5m in potential contingencies to Leicester, and there is also a sell-on clause included in the deal. Arsenal withdrew their own interest earlier this month, believing the valuation was too high.Monga’s scholarship contract was set to become a professional one when he turned 17 on July 10, meaning Arsenal or City would have to pay a fee for his services. City confirmed the transfer the following day on July 11.“When I became aware that Manchester City were interested, I knew instantly this was the right choice for me,” Monga told City’s website.There were many clubs tracking Monga even before he became the second-youngest player to appear in the Premier League when he came on as a substitute aged just 15 years and 271 days in a 3-0 defeat to Newcastle 15 months ago.When Monga was growing up in Coventry, not far from Coventry City’s training ground, he was on the radar of several clubs. He and his family, who are of Congolese descent, chose Leicester ahead of Aston Villa and Coventry when the player was eight.Since then, there has been a buzz around him as he came through the prolific Leicester academy. Before handing Monga his senior debut — when he was still in school and could only train with the first team twice a week — former Leicester manager Ruud van Nistelrooy responded to a question about Monga by stating “the whole world” knew about him.Ruud van Nistelrooy with Monga in April 2025 (Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images)At that time, several clubs were watching Monga closely. When 15, Monga was playing in the under-21s and scouts from several of Europe’s biggest clubs were regular visitors to the club’s Seagrave training ground to watch him.Chelsea and Real Madrid were two clubs who sent scouts, and City had seemed in pole position to entice Monga away before he could sign a professional contract, meaning a tribunal would set the amount they would have to pay in compensation to Leicester for developing him over several years rather than pay a transfer fee.Many around Seagrave were resigned to losing Monga, just as they had lost Tyrese Noubissie to City when he was 14, with £1million ($1.3m) compensation in return.