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- 9 hours ago
Agreement reached after Arsenal and Chelsea wonderkid battle
Tom Weber
- Updated: 3 Feb 2026 18:55 GMT
- 4 min read
News
Montpellier have handed teenage sensation Lacine Megnan-Pave a professional contract amid interest from Arsenal and Chelsea.
The 15-year-old striker has been making waves in France this season. The captain of the country's U16s national team, Megnan-Pave does not look out of place against players several years his senior.
The youngster regularly plays for Montpellier's U19s and is currently scoring a goal every other game despite his youth. Thanks to his physical attributes, Maignan-Pave can compete against older age groups.
His exploits have been attracting the attention of suitors. For a few months now, Premier League clubs have been linked with the prodigy, even though he would not be able to head across the Channel until 2028.
Arsenal and Barcelona are said to be among his suitors, having scouted him for a year, while L'Equipe reports that Chelsea have become increasingly active and "very insistent." The Blues, of course, could sign him immediately via their sister club Strasbourg.
Montpellier hand Megnan-Pave a pro deal
In a bid to protect the club and the youngster from the persistent speculation, Montpellier have made the big decision of handing the 15-year-old his first professional contract.
Due to his age, this new contract can only run until the summer of 2028, but Montpellier felt that it was a necessary step as his academy terms would have expired after the current season.
Megnan-Pave is now the youngest pro at Montpellier and one of the youngest in the history of French football. It is expected that he will make his senior debut in Ligue 2 before long. The relegated side are currently in a disappointing ninth place in the second tier.
Montpellier hope that this professional contract will put them in a strong position to demand a sizeable fee should one of Megnan-Pave's suitors decide to act on their interest. Perhaps he will have the chance to play against his idol Erling Haaland in the Premier League once he turns 18.
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