Seventeen-year-old Jeremy Monga just hit the pitch for Manchester City, making his first appearance after a £10 million move from Leicester. This isn’t just any debut, though. Monga outright rejected Arsenal to don the sky blue, telling BBC Sport it was a “no-brainer” when City called. Already the third-youngest player to ever appear in the Premier League, he’s settling in with one of the biggest clubs on the planet under former Foxes boss Enzo Maresca. This kid’s career? Definitely not going under the radar.
Almost a Dream Debut in Seoul
Monga came off the bench in City’s 3-1 friendly win over a K-League XI in sweltering Seoul. Rayan Ait-Nouri, Tijjani Reijnders, and Divin Mubama had already put City up inside 23 minutes, but Monga’s half hour on the pitch showed off his youthful sprightliness. He almost had a dream first appearance, too. A close-range effort was disallowed for handball, and another sweet curling shot got batted away by the keeper. He was *this close* to making an immediate impact!
Why Monga Chose City Over Arsenal’s Champs
It looked like Monga was headed straight to Arsenal this summer, with Mikel Arteta’s side closing in on a deal, but City swooped in and gazumped their title rivals. Monga confirmed to BBC Sport that Arsenal’s interest “was very strong because it was very close to me going there, very close.” So why City? He laid it out: “The main decision was probably the pathway and the club itself. They’ve been so successful that it was a no-brainer when City call. It’s every child’s dream to win trophies and be at the top with the best.” He added, “Once I get the opportunity I just need to show myself, and once I do that, everything will take care of itself. I feel like, to me personally, I see myself at City more. I see myself in blue.” A confident young man who knows where he wants to be, for sure.
From Dog-Eat-Dog to Emulating Hazard
Monga’s no stranger to tough competition. He made his top-flight debut for Leicester at 15 years and 271 days old in a loss to Newcastle. Leicester then tumbled to the Championship and even League One, but Monga played 30 times last season, taking “positives” from his time there, saying it “gave me the foundation and stepping stone” for his career. He called the Championship a “tough league” where defenders gave him “less time and less respect” compared to the Premier League. As an England Under-19 international, he experienced that “dog-eat-dog world” firsthand, with defenders “more on me, wanting to be more physical with me and they didn’t care about my age too much.” He’s thankful for those opportunities. A boyhood Chelsea supporter, Monga models his game after his idol, Eden Hazard, and he’s dead set on emulating that direct, match-winning style.
Monga is clearly a player with a plan, looking to emulate his idol Eden Hazard and chasing trophies. He sees himself in blue, and after his promising debut, the question isn’t if he’ll get more chances, but how soon he becomes a regular fixture for Enzo Maresca’s side. City fans are definitely watching this space to see what this phenomenal talent does next!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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