adminLeicester City’s third relegation in four years means the King Power Stadium will host League One football for only the second time in its history, and for the first time since 2009, as the Foxes prepare for an immediate push back to the Championship.
The Foxes lifted the Premier League trophy a decade ago, reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League, won the FA Cup, and competed in all three major UEFA competitions. Now, they find themselves in the third tier of English football.
Former Southampton and Rangers manager Russell Martin has recently taken charge of the club, with Leicester identifying him as the man to secure an immediate return to the second tier.
Martin faces a busy summer transfer window, and with several departures expected, Leicester are set to lose one of their brightest young talents after a deal was agreed with Arsenal.
Russell Martin Disappointed As Jeremy Monga Agrees Arsenal Move
Leicester are expected to see several key players leave this summer. The club has already confirmed the departures of Ricardo Pereira, Jordan Ayew, Patson Daka and Jamaal Lascelles, while Jordan James, Divine Mukasa and Aaron Ramsey have returned to their parent clubs following loan spells.
Ghanaian winger Abdul Fatawu is also expected to leave for a sizeable fee, but Leicester are now set to lose another exciting talent in 16-year-old Jeremy Monga after the youngster agreed a move to Arsenal.
The move is believed to have left new manager Russell Martin disappointed, having viewed Monga as an important part of his long-term plans at the King Power Stadium. The Leicester boss had hoped to build his new project around some of the club’s most promising young players, with Monga among those expected to play a significant role.
Monga made his professional debut for Leicester at just 15 years and 271 days old, becoming the second-youngest player ever to appear in the Premier League behind Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri, who he is now reportedly set to join in North London.
According to TEAMtalk, Arsenal have beaten several English and European clubs, including Chelsea, to secure Monga’s signature and are expected to pay Leicester between £10 million and £15 million for the teenager.
Following Leicester’s relegation from the Premier League last year, many expected Monga to play a major role in the Championship. He scored in only his second game of the campaign during a 2-1 defeat to Preston North End, becoming the youngest goalscorer in Championship history.
However, the teenager featured only sporadically throughout the season, making eight league starts and 30 appearances in all competitions. His goal against Preston remained his only senior goal for the club.
Despite Martin’s desire to keep him, Monga now appears set to continue his development at Arsenal, following the path of academy graduates such as Ethan Nwaneri, Bukayo Saka, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Emile Smith Rowe and Max Dowman.
Martin Faces Huge Rebuild After Losing Key Young Talent
Martin, like Leicester, has endured a challenging few years.
After guiding Southampton to promotion to the Premier League in 2024, he was dismissed following a difficult spell in the top flight. His subsequent move to Rangers also proved short-lived.
While the transfer fee will provide Leicester with additional funds to strengthen the squad, Martin will undoubtedly be disappointed to lose one of the club’s brightest prospects.
The Leicester boss will now be hoping that the money received from Arsenal can be reinvested wisely as the Foxes target an immediate return to the Championship.
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