Arsenal have stepped up their interest in Antonio Nusa, with the Gunners ready to push for the RB Leipzig winger in the January transfer window. Reports in Germany say the Premier League leaders sent scouts to watch the 21-year-old Norway international during Leipzig’s recent Champions League meeting with Manchester City, where Nusa scored in a narrow 3-2 defeat. Mikel Arteta is said to be impressed by the winger’s tactical discipline, versatility and athleticism — and with six goals and eight assists in 15 appearances this season, it is easy to see why.
The problem for Arsenal is the price — and the timing. Leipzig have made it clear they have no intention of losing one of their prized assets midway through the season, and any January deal would take a fee well beyond their current valuation.
Leipzig name their price for Antonio Nusa
According to Bild, Leipzig value Nusa at around €80 million (£67m), and the Bundesliga club would only consider a winter departure if an “exceptional fee” arrived. A TEAMtalk report says Arsenal have been told a deal will be hugely problematic to pull off in January unless they are prepared to pay more than that €80m figure.
The winger was already on Arsenal’s radar before he joined Leipzig from Club Brugge, and his stock has only risen since — but Leipzig are under no financial pressure to sell, having banked a huge fee for another winger in the summer.
Why January looks ‘almost impossible’
Fabrizio Romano has poured cold water on the idea of a winter move. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the transfer expert pointed out that Leipzig already generated a big fee last summer by selling Yan Diomande to Real Madrid for €140m, and argued that cashing in on Nusa in January would “kill the excitement up front” for the team. “In January, I think it’s unlikely,” Romano said.
Sky Germany have gone further, reporting on Wednesday that a January departure is “almost impossible” and that only an “astronomical offer” could change Leipzig’s stance. Nusa has no release clause in his contract, which runs until 2029, and Sky put his realistic valuation at €70–90m — figures that point to next summer as the realistic window for any deal.
Antonio Nusa on Arsenal’s four-man winger shortlist
Nusa is not the only name on Arsenal’s list. According to The Independent’s Miguel Delaney, the Gunners are assessing four wingers ahead of January: Atletico Madrid’s Alex Baena, Real Madrid’s Endrick, Nusa and Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Kroupi.
The search for attacking reinforcements has been sharpened by Bukayo Saka’s thigh injury — the England star has been out since the Champions League draw with Bayern Munich on 21 October, and Arteta has confirmed he will be sidelined for several more weeks, although he could be back for Real Madrid on 9 December. Arsenal have already been linked with a January move for Endrick as cover, while Bayer Leverkusen striker Christian Kofane is another name under consideration.
For now, though, the message from Germany is clear: Nusa is admired, available at a price — but almost certainly not in January. For more on Arsenal and the rest of the January window, check today’s predictions.
Photo: Bryan Berlin via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) — collage by SportsBuddy
