So the Gunners have gone early. They have tabled an initial bid for Leicester City's teenage sensation Jeremy Monga, and while that first offer has be...
So the Gunners have gone early. They have tabled an initial bid for Leicester City's teenage sensation Jeremy Monga, and while that first offer has been politely declined by the Foxes, the word from reliable sources at GoalZaza is that a deal is very much still on the cards. This is not a saga that will drag into the dying embers of the window. Both sides appear pragmatic. Leicester know they have a rough diamond who can play across the front line, a player with the kind of tactical flexibility that Arteta craves. Arsenal, for their part, are not messing about.Let's be honest, the days of Arsenal being a soft touch in the negotiating room are long gone. They have a clear identity now, a system that demands specific profiles. Monga fits that mould. He is not just a raw winger who hugs the touchline and whips in crosses. He has the footballing brain to drift inside, to operate between the lines, and to press with the kind of relentless energy that defines this current Arsenal side. For a club that has occasionally looked a little short of cutting edge from the bench, adding a player of his versatility feels like a low risk move with a very high ceiling. The question is not whether he will join, but whether he can handle the immediate step up in physicality.You have to admire the strategy here. Arsenal are not waiting for him to explode into a 50 million pound star at Leicester. They are moving now, in the kind of quiet, efficient manner that has become their hallmark under the current regime. And let's not forget, the lad is still a wonderkid. He hasn't bottled it on the big stage yet because he hasn't really been given the chance. The challenge for Arteta and his coaching staff will be managing those expectations, integrating him into a squad that is competing for the Premier League title. Is he ready for that kind of squeaky bum time pressure Time will tell, but the early signs from the boardroom suggest the club believes he is.Ultimately, this is a deal that speaks to a deeper philosophy. Arsenal are not just buying for the here and now; they are stockpiling talent with a view to long term dominance. Monga is the kind of investment that can pay dividends in three years time, whether as a first team regular or as a highly saleable asset. Leicester, meanwhile, will drive a hard bargain. They know the Premier League tax. They know what a versatile attacker is worth in the current market. But they also know that the player wants the move. That is the clincher. GoalZaza understands that personal terms are not expected to be a stumbling block, and the clubs are now locked in a game of cat and mouse over the structure of the fee. Expect a resolution before the month is out. This one is far from dead.
