Arsenal Antonio Nusa pursuit heats up as Gunners enter £60m January race

Arsenal’s pursuit of Antonio Nusa is gathering pace. The Premier League champions are reportedly ready to fight Aston Villa and Newcastle for the RB Leipzig winger in January.

Football Insider claim a ‘big race’ is developing for the 21-year-old Norwegian. Leipzig are reportedly valuing him at around £60m. Arsenal have good reason to take notice.

Why Arsenal want a new winger

Arsenal sold Leandro Trossard to Besiktas this summer while signing Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge for £34m. Tzolis has joined the injury list, and Mikel Arteta does not have a great selection of wingers, as Eberechi Eze only plays on one side while Arteta wants more depth there.

This has given rise to the Arsenal Antonio Nusa transfer speculation. Nusa was a key player for Norway at the World Cup, reaching the last eight. He has continued his good form in the Bundesliga this season, scoring three goals and providing three assists in his first five league games, according to Football365, if not slightly different reports from other outlets.

Money could decide this one. 

Nusa is contracted until 2029, meaning that Leipzig can afford to wait. Several reports claim that Arsenal are considering a bid of around €40m for the winger, which is significantly below the £60m valuation.

The Gunners do have an advantage, however. Martin Odegaard captains Norway and has a good understanding of the player. A recommendation from him could convince the winger to move to north London.

The Champions League gives Arsenal an edge

Football Insider claims Arsenal and Villa are in a better position to sign the player than Newcastle because they both compete in the Champions League. The site has labelled them as “major contenders” for his signature. Other outlets have also been linked to Tottenham, so the race could well intensify before the window opens.

Nusa is not the only forward on Arsenal’s radar. The Gunners were in hot pursuit of Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez all summer, only for the deal to fall through. The Argentine’s release clause has been shot down from the initial €500m demanded by Atletico, with reports in Spain claiming the club would now accept a private offer of €200m. The latest update suggests €120m (£101m) could be enough to complete the transfer.

A deal for Alvarez would rule out another big-money signing. Arsenal are prepared to spend money, but even they have their limits.

For now, the Nusa saga remains just that, a saga as opposed to a done deal. The Gunners have yet to make any public comments. Arteta’s full focus is on Sunday’s trip to Nottingham Forest. Nevertheless, the race for Nusa in January is already well underway.