Rejecting Arsenal & emulating Hazard - Monga makes debut in Man City win
Seventeen-year-old Jeremy Monga opens up about joining Manchester City after snubbing Arsenal and highlights Eden Hazard as his ultimate role model.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Jeremy Monga completed a 10 million pound transfer from Leicester City to Manchester City
- Snubbed a heavily pursued move to Arsenal to join the Premier League champions
- Made his debut as a substitute in a 3-1 friendly win over a K-League XI in South Korea
- Cites former Chelsea star Eden Hazard as his childhood idol and primary playing inspiration
Jeremy Monga's 10 million pound switch from Leicester City to Manchester City may have flown under the radar during the summer transfer window, but the teenager's career trajectory is certainly tracking in an upward direction. The 17-year-old, who stands as the third-youngest player to ever feature in the Premier League, is currently settling in at one of the globe's premier football clubs.
Monga entered the fray from the bench during City's 3-1 pre-season friendly victory against a K-League XI under sweltering conditions at the Seoul World Cup Stadium in South Korea. Goals from Rayan Ait-Nouri, Tijjani Reijnders, and Divin Mubama had already put the English side ahead within the opening 23 minutes.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Throughout his half-hour appearance on the pitch, Monga displayed his youthful energy and nearly capped off a dream debut when a close-range effort was ruled out for handball, while another curling shot was successfully parried away by the opposing goalkeeper.
It previously appeared that Monga was destined to join league rivals Arsenal this summer, with Mikel Arteta's side pushing intensely to finalize a deal, only for the Gunners to be gazumped by their title rivals at the eleventh hour.
"It [Arsenal interest] was very strong because it was very close to me going there, very close."
Jeremy Monga
Reflecting on the near-transfer, Monga explained that once an opportunity presents itself, his job is simply to showcase his abilities and let everything else fall into place, adding that he personally felt a stronger connection to wearing blue at Manchester City.
The acquisition of such a promising young talent highlights Manchester City's continued focus on recruiting elite youth prospects across English football. Despite Leicester City suffering a turbulent period marked by relegation down to the Championship and subsequently League One, Monga's choice to turn down Arsenal in favor of City demonstrates the immense pulling power and long-term development pathway offered by the Etihad Stadium hierarchy.
Monga's rise to top-flight football is well-documented, having previously made his Premier League debut at just 15 years and 271 days old during Leicester's defeat to Newcastle United on April 7. The Foxes, who famously won the Premier League title in 2015-16, experienced a severe decline in recent seasons culminating in consecutive drops.
A lifelong supporter of Chelsea, Monga regards former Belgium international Eden Hazard as his ultimate footballing idol and aims to mirror the winger's illustrious style of play. Born in July 2009, Monga entered the world just as Hazard was establishing himself as a rising star at French club Lille before embarking on a legendary career at Chelsea and Real Madrid.
Hazard's decorated CV includes two Premier League titles, two La Liga titles, the 2022 Champions League trophy, alongside being named PFA players' player of the year and Football Writers' Association footballer of the year for the 2014-15 campaign. When discussing what he admires most about Hazard, the Coventry-born youngster pointed to the Belgian's directness, willingness to take control of matches, and exceptional ball manipulation.
Source: BBC Sport
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