Man City signing made ‘right choice’ in rejecting Arsenal, says Enzo Maresca
Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca says Jeremy Monga made the right choice in turning down Arsenal and moving to the Etihad from Leicester City instead.
The 17-year-old has already got 37 first team appearances to his name for the Foxes, seven of which came in the Premier League.
The winger was being pursued by both Arsenal and Manchester City this summer and revealed that he was very close to choosing north London as his next home.
Speaking of interest from the Gunners in him, Monga told the BBC: ‘It was very strong because it was very close to me going there, very close.’
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On why he opted for Manchester City, he explained: ‘The main decision was probably the pathway and the club itself.
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‘They’ve been so successful that it was a no-brainer when City call. It’s every child’s dream to win trophies and be at the top with the best.
‘Once I get the opportunity I just need to show myself, and once I do that, everything will take care of itself. I feel like, to me personally, I see myself at City more. I see myself in blue.’
City snapped up the teenager for £10m and he is hoping that the pathway is as clear as he believed it to be and he can make an impression on the first team this season.
Monga has featured in pre-season, coming off the bench against a K-League XI last week, but was an unused substitute as City beat Atletico Madrid 3-1 on Sunday.
Maresca feels the youngster made the right choice in choosing his summer move and feels Manchester City’s accumulation of silverware over the last 10 years makes them a more attractive prospect than their rivals.
‘Absolutely yes,’ he said of City being an extremely attractive proposition for young players. ‘What the club and this organisation has made in the last 10-15 years is unbelievable.
‘So it’s also for the young generation, for the young players, it’s a good reason why to join this club and I think Jeremy did the right choice.’
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The new manager added of the teenager: ‘Jeremy is doing well. The important thing is they work without pressure. Just enjoy, work hard and then with spending days together, for sure they’re going to be better.’
Monga will need some time to work his way into the first team, while another new signing, Elliot Anderson, is likely to go straight into the side after his big-money move from Nottingham Forest.
Speaking of his new £116m midfielder, Maresca said: ‘When we make a decision it’s not just about how they are as a player – which is important – but we also look at the behaviour, the person, the human.
‘Elliot has all these kind of things. He’s a fantastic player, a very nice guy, humble, polite and it will be a pleasure for me to work with him.’
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Article source: https://metro.co.uk/2026/08/10/man-city-signing-made-right-choice-rejecting-arsenal-says-enzo-maresca-29346087/