Jeremy Monga has revealed why he chose Manchester City over Arsenal this summer, describing the move as a 'no-brainer' after the Premier League champions showed interest. The 16-year-old winger joined City for £10m from Leicester City, who suffered consecutive relegations to League One.
Arsenal interest was 'very close'
Monga was 'very close' to joining Arsenal, but City swooped in after Enzo Maresca became their manager. Despite a brief connection with Maresca from Leicester, Monga had long admired City.
"[Arsenal's interest] was very strong because it was very close to me going there. Very close. The main decision was probably the pathway and the club itself. They've been so successful that it was a no-brainer when City calls. I feel like to me personally I see myself at City more. I see myself in blue!"
Pathway and success
Monga, who made 17 Championship appearances for Leicester, believes City offers the best route to trophies. "[This summer] was more a time of reflection. After last season, thinking about what's next. Obviously once I heard City called in again it was really a no-brainer because it is such a successful club. It's every child's dream to win trophies and be at the top with the best."
He has already impressed in training, taking advice from Antoine Semenyo. "One thing that I realised early is that everything can get stripped away just like that so I have to stay focused and humble because keeping my spot is the main priority. Sometimes it's annoying that I'm missing out on things but it's for the greater good. If you want to be a top player you have to live the top lifestyle and make sacrifices. My parents taught me that early because of the experiences we've gone through."
Championship lessons
Monga's experience in the Championship, where defenders 'gave me less time and respect', has prepared him for the rigours of senior football. "They were more on me, wanting to be more physical with me and they didn't care about my age too much. It's a dog-eat-dog world in the Championship," he said.
City often loan young players to the Championship, but Monga hopes to stay with the squad and feature in the League Cup. "It was more of a thing where I go in with the group and if I impress and work hard then we'll give you the opportunities that you want and you need," he said. "To me, this is such a good opportunity to have because I'm so confident in myself that I can impress and work hard and do everything that I need to do to get myself in the squad. Once I get the opportunity I just need to show myself and once I do that everything will take care of itself."
