Arsenal are now said to be preparing a bid for a new winger as they look to tick off a key piece of business and beat Liverpool to a signing.
The Gunners are in need of a left-winger and a number 8 this summer, but they could yet add a top striker if the right circumstances play out, and there will be other holes to plug depending on exits.
Mikel Arteta is yet to make a true start to summer recruitment, putting aside the free signing of Illan Meslier and the effectively pre-agreed permanent signing of Piero Hincapie. But we are likely to see the Gunners ramp up their transfer efforts in the next couple of weeks, and the attacker spot is likely to be a priority, especially with Leandro Trossard's departure likely meaning two players are needed on that side.
Arsenal preparing offer for World Cup star Nusa
Antonio Nusa - RB Leipzig (1)
According to CaughtOffside, Arsenal are now preparing an offer for RB Leipzig and Norway winger Antonio Nusa, believing he could be a long-term solution to their issues on the left side. It's claimed the Gunners will offer around €40m for the 21-year-old, but Leizpig will reportedly seek as much as €60million, keeping in mind Newcastle United, Juventus and others are also reportedly interested. That means Arsenal and Leipzig are a long way apart on their valuations, so a deal certainly isn't close.
The Gunners were believed to want a standout, ready-to-start left-wing option, but if they can sign someone like Morgan Rogers or Julian Alvarez, who would be their preferred targets, it's likely they will need to compromise on their left-wing spending, with both of those players usually operating centrally.
Club Brugge star Christos Tzolis has been heavily linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium, so it will be interesting to see if the Nusa deal is instead of or as well as the Tzolis interest. It's likely the Norway World Cup star, described as 'one of the best players of his generation', is an alternative option to Tzolis at this stage.
liverpoo
Nusa a Neymar-like 'special' talent
Antonio Nusa in action for RB Leipzig
Speaking to TalkSport, European football journalist Andy Brassell explained why Nusa is seen as such a 'special' talent. He said: "What is it that makes Nusa so special? Well, he’s a wide player who’s equally effective on both sides, and even some of the best wide players in the modern game are not that.
"So this is something that’s a huge advantage for Leipzig at the moment is they have him on one side and Yan Diomande, who has been closely linked to Liverpool, on the other side. Having them and their ability to swap, I think is really, really useful. We often see Diomande on the right coming onto his left foot and Nusa on the left going onto his right, which is why a few people have floated the rather crass nickname of the ‘Norwegian Neymar’.
"His close control is brilliant, so you can understand the comparison. He’s very, very quick-footed. He’s able to go inside or outside. He’s adding a few goals to his game as well."
Viktor Gyokeres Related
Arsenal Hold Talks Over Swapping Viktor Gyokeres to Land Dream Signing
Arsenal could sacrifice one of their recent signings to get their man