It is no secret that Chelsea have actively scouted and recruited the best youngsters from all around the globe since the BlueCo takeover. That has been a large part of their transfer strategy. And while it clearly has not worked out as well as expected, that does not mean they need to abandon it completely. It needs to be done in moderation. Unfortunately, it looks like the Blues are now set to miss out on a mercurial close to home.
Even worse for them might be the fact that is closing in on a move to London rivals Arsenal. Despite winning the Premier League and losing the Champions League final on penalties, it looks like Mikel Arteta’s side are eager to strengthen significantly this summer.
That means signing proven experienced players as well as youngsters. And one such player has also been on the radar of Chelsea for a long time.
According to journalist Nicolo Schira, Jeremy Monga has agreed personal terms with Arsenal. They are now working to reach a deal with Leicester City to sign the winger.
Arsenal closing in on move for Chelsea-linked Jeremy Monga
Leicester City were relegated to League One at the end of the 25/26 season. That means they will have a tough time holding on to their best talents. Monga is most certainly at the top of that list.
Monga is just 16 years of age. But he has already made 37 senior appearances for Leicester City. He even made eight starts in the Championship last season.
Monga has also made 10 appearances for England at the U19 level. That just goes to show how far ahead he is when it comes to most players in his age group.
Now, it looks like a move to Arsenal is on the cards. Chelsea were linked with him for a while, but it looks like that move is not going to happen, or is at least very unlikely.
Monga will remind Chelsea fans of an old favourite
Monga will remind many of Callum Hudson-Odoi early in his career. He gets past defenders with easy and plays mostly on the left flank.
Of course, Hudson-Odoi’s development did not go according to expectations. He suffered a serious injury in his debut season, just when he was starting to establish himself as a starter.
The Cobham standout never quite looked the same after that. He never seemed completely sure of his ability to get past defenders for a while after that. Perhaps the injury had a long-term physical impact. Or maybe he just lost his confidence.
Anyways, coming back to Monga, it remains to be seen what the future holds for him. But it does look like he is on his way to Arsenal.
