Arteta convinces Berta to bring Premier League star Igor Thiago to Arsenal
Arsenal’s first bid for Leicester youngster Jeremy Monga has been rejected but they are hoping to sign the youngster.
Monga has already collected 37 appearances for the Foxes before his 17th birthday to catch the attention of the football world, and he became the youngest goalscorer in the Championship last August.
However, Leicester’s relegation from League One has forced the Midlands club to sell key assets and although Arsenal’s bid to sign Monga this week has been rejected, an agreement is expected to be reached for the 16-year-old to move to north London.
After Monga made his Foxes debut at the age of 15 last April in a Premier League defeat to Newcastle, he went on to make 30 appearances for Leicester during a difficult 2025-26 campaign.
Part of the England Under-19 set-up, Monga is still on loan at the King Power Stadium club and will complete a move to Arsenal when he turns 17 on July 10.
Another young English talent on Arsenal’s shortlist this summer is defender Elijah Upson, who will leave Tottenham this month after rejecting a professional deal.
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Centre-back Upson, the son of former England international Matthew Upson, played six times for Spurs in the UEFA Youth League and captained the Under-18s on several occasions, but will move on when his contract expires on June 30.
Upson could follow in his father’s footsteps by signing for Arsenal.
Arteta confirms Arsenal move for Brentford star
The Gunners are also looking to improve their first team after missing out on a historic Premier League and Champions League double.
According to reports in Brazil, via Sport Witness, Mikel Arteta has finally convinced the Gunners to sign Brentford star Igor Thiago.
The report claims that the Spaniard has been following Thiago for years, and sporting director Andrea Berta now agrees that the Premier League-proven striker must be signed this summer.
Thiago joined Brentford in the summer of 2024 but made one league start in his first season due to injury before bursting into life last season.
The Brazilian, who is only 24 years old, has played all 38 games for the Bees and scored 22 goals.
“Not bad, right? I thought the finish today was outstanding, really clinical, outstanding, calm, confident,” said manager Keith Andrews after his hat-trick against Everton.
“He’s been a bit crazy in the last few weeks without scoring, but the last two games we played against Bournemouth and he was the key to us winning the game.
“The names you just mentioned (Haaland, Mbappe, Kane) – he’s in respectable company there, but he’s earned it.”
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Mikel Arteta’s team could take advantage.
While Thiago may not be in Erling Haaland’s league yet, he finished just five goals behind the Norwegian in the race for the golden boot, and his brute strength and physicality will certainly add something different to Arteta’s attacking ranks.
