Arsenal and Spurs Battle for World Cup Star Nusa
Arsenal and Tottenham are braced for a head‑to‑head battle over Norway starlet Nusa, the winger whose World Cup surge has turned him into one of the most coveted young attackers in Europe.
The 21-year-old has just come off a standout Bundesliga season and a statement tournament on the biggest stage, making six appearances and scoring Norway’s first goal in their last‑32 win over Ivory Coast. That combination – league consistency and World Cup composure – has pushed his name towards the top of shortlists across the continent.
RB Leipzig, though, are in no mood to be swept up in the frenzy. Their price is clear: £51 million. Take it or leave it.
Arsenal weigh Nusa against Martinelli’s future
Arsenal’s interest is real, but their approach is calculated. They are not ready to lunge.
The club want to understand the market for Gabriel Martinelli before committing to a formal move for Nusa. Arsenal are not actively shopping the Brazilian, yet the equation is simple: if a bid north of £51 million arrives from Europe or Asia, the door to a Nusa deal swings wider.
There has already been movement on the flanks. Leandro Trossard has departed for Besiktas, trimming experience from Mikel Arteta’s attacking options. Christos Tzolis has come in from Club Brugge to add depth, but he is viewed as part of a broader reshaping rather than the marquee wide signing.
Arsenal also watched a primary target slip away. Morgan Rogers, high on their list, ended up at Chelsea in a £117 million deal, forcing the Gunners to reassess where to deploy their remaining firepower in the window. Nusa now sits at the intersection of that planning: opportunity, talent, and cost.
Spurs tempted, but trapped by numbers
On the other side of north London, Spurs are just as keen – but their hands are tied until they clear space.
The club must resolve the futures of returning loanees Manor Solomon and Mikey Moore before they can move decisively. Both situations carry weight: do they cash in, loan again, or reintegrate? Each option shapes how aggressively they can go after Nusa.
There is also a practical gap in Ange Postecoglou’s squad. Spurs still have room – and need – for another winger after a string of injuries ruled Dejan Kulusevski, Mohammed Kudus, Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert out of the club’s pre‑season tour of New Zealand and Australia. The absences have underlined how thin the wide options can look when bad luck bites.
Nusa, with his direct running and eye for goal, fits the kind of high‑energy, front‑foot football Spurs want to play. The question is whether they can move fast enough once they have trimmed the squad.
Milan and Roma move early
While the Premier League giants calculate and hesitate, Italy is already at the table.
AC Milan and AS Roma have opened direct talks with Nusa’s representatives, trying to steal a march on their English rivals. Milan, according to the same report, see Nusa as a priority target and are exploring a familiar route: sell to buy. Offloading Rafael Leao would provide the funds – and create a vacancy – for a wide forward of Nusa’s profile.
Roma, by contrast, are ready to probe Leipzig’s resolve with a £38 million offer. It falls short of the German club’s valuation, but it plants a flag. It also tests whether Leipzig’s stance is as rigid as advertised, or if a structured deal could narrow the gap.
For both Italian clubs, the pitch is clear: a starring role, a central place in their rebuilds, and the chance to grow in a league that has long nurtured attacking talent.
The player is ready. The price is not.
Nusa is understood to be open to a new challenge after his successful World Cup. He has momentum, visibility, and leverage. This is the moment in a young career when the right move can change everything.
Yet every suitor, from north London to Milan and Rome, runs into the same wall. Leipzig’s £51 million demand is the hinge on which the entire saga turns. Convince them to bend, and a deal becomes possible. Fail, and the chase stalls.
The interest is there. The need is obvious. The player is willing.
Now it comes down to one thing: who believes in Nusa enough to pay Leipzig’s price – or push them hard enough to finally bring it down?
