£12.5m and rising: City’s Monga deal dwarfs Arsenal’s offer

Manchester City’s agreement to sign Jeremy Monga from Leicester City is worth £12.5 million plus a sell-on clause, with £10 million guaranteed and £2.5 million in add-on payments.

That fee is more than twice the £5 million Arsenal had offered for the 16-year-old, according to reports. Leicester initially rejected Arsenal’s bid and instead requested £10 million plus a 15% sell-on fee, which closely matches the structure City have now agreed.

If Monga triggers all possible add-on payments, City’s total outlay could reach two-and-a-half times Arsenal’s original offer. A fully activated sell-on clause could push the overall cost to three or four times the Gunners’ £5 million bid.

Danny Ings’ tribunal-mandated move to Liverpool was set at £8 million, while Rio Ngumoha’s transfer to Liverpool reached up to £6.8 million with add-ons. Neither fee, even with all possible extras, matches the lower end of City’s £12.5 million starting price for Monga.

Arsenal had been in negotiations with Leicester to avoid a tribunal, but City’s willingness to exceed any previous tribunal fee in English football removed that option. The Gunners ultimately withdrew from the race, leaving City to finalise the deal.

Monga, aged 16, made 30 appearances for Leicester in all competitions during the 2025/26 season, scoring once and providing two assists. His development has now drawn a substantially higher valuation than Arsenal were prepared to pay.

The disparity highlights the widening financial gap between clubs in pursuit of young talent, with tribunal fees historically acting as a ceiling that City have now surpassed.