Saturday saw Manchester City officially announce their second signing of the summer, 17-year-old winger Jeremy Monga. The England U19 player, who was heavily pursued by Arsenal this summer, is considered to be one of the brightest young talents in the Three Lions youth system, having already seen more senior team experience than most players his age. Monga moves over from Leicester City, and signs a five-year deal that would keep him at the club until 2031.
Arsenal reportedly had their first bid for Monga rejected, later it was reported that the two sides had reached an agreement on a transfer fee said in the neighborhood of £10 million.
Obviously that deal “collapsed” or Man City “hijacked” it, because here is, the newest member of Enzo Maresca’s rebuilding project at The Etihad. Jeremy Monga moves over for a transfer fee that could potentially be worth up to £12.5 million (an up front, guaranteed £10m, with a further £2.5m possible in add-ons).
City’s first signing this summer, England midfielder Elliot Anderson, has yet to be officially announced, because Three Lions are still competing at the 2026 World Cup. They’ll meet Norway in a very highly anticipated quarterfinal, later on tonight.
Anderson moved over on a transfer fee reportedly worth £116 million, which is a new club record.
The first officially announced signing of the summer for City is 20-year-old goalkeeper Pierce Charles. The Northern Ireland international, who moved over on £3m deal, was announced only just yesterday. Charles signed a five-year contract with the club, and then went immediately out on loan to Championship level club Queens Park Rangers or the upcoming season.
(Lead photo credit: Manchester City FC, Caption: Jeremy Monga signs for Manchester City at Manchester City Football Academy on July 10, 2026 in Manchester, England).
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.