Arsenal transfer news: Gunners survive 'hijack' attempts in highly-rated teenager pursuit

Arsenal have reportedly held onto pole position in the race for Leicester City wonderkid Jeremy Monga this summer.

The Gunners have already supposedly tabelled an offer to the 16-year-old, who played 27 Championship matches for the Foxes during the 2025-26 season as they suffered relegation to League One.

It is extremely unlikely that Monga will stick around at the King Power Stadium to play third-tier football next season, and the same can be said for defender Victor Kristiansen, who is keen on a move to Danish powerhouses Copenhagen.

It is understood that the Gunners are pushing hard to secure the services of the services of the the 16-year-old, who has been likened to current Balon D'or holder Ousmane Dembele in terms of playstyle.

Monga is the third-youngest player to ever feature in the Premier League, with only Arsenal duo Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman making speedier debuts at the top table of English football since 1992.

Arsenal survive hijacking attempts in Monga chase?

According to The Mirror, the summer race for Monga is set to be highly-contested, with a number of Premier League and European clubs looking to hijack Arsenal's move for the promising attacker.

Once the winger turns 17 on July 10, he will sign pre-agreed professional terms with Leicester, meaning that the League One-bound club will be able to command a fee for the talents of the player.

The report claims that Brentford are the latest Premier League side to thrown their hat in the ring for Monga, with the Bees potentially offering the attacker a quick route to first-team football in the top flight.

As well as Keith Andrews's troops, Newcastle United and an unnamed German side are also keen on bringing the 16-year-old into their respective set-ups ahead of the upcoming 2026-27 term.

There is believed to be a strong determination at Arsenal to bolster their youth ranks, with sporting director Andrea Berta accepting that the club's academy has fallen behind elite standards in recent times.

Monga the shining light

Ten seasons on from lifting the Premier League title against the odds, Leicester City are now preparing for a sobering and humbling campaign in the third tier of English football alongside the likes of Bromley.

There was an air of arrogance in some sections of the Foxes dressing room during the 2025-26 campaign, creating a clear disconnect between the fanbase and a group of players who believed they were too good to suffer the drop.

Monga does not fall into that negative category, though, with the teenager showing incredible personality and quality to step up to the first-team occasion under significant pressure at the King Power.