Arsenal’s pursuit of a winger has seen them turn to the player who was rated as the worst player in his position in the Bundesliga last season – and Mikel Arteta’s side are ready to pay €45 million for him.
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RB Leipzig’s Antonio Nusa is subject to interest from the Gunners, according to CaughtOffside, which reports that he is being seriously considered as an alternative to Nico Williams.
It is claimed that a string of other clubs are looking at the former Club Brugge youngster, including Chelsea, Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Everton and Napoli.
But while Nusa has been earmarked as a player for the future, notably scoring a brilliant goal against Italy in a recent World Cup qualifier, there are serious questions to be answered of what he could bring to Arsenal immediately.
Nusa struggled last season but he has a high ceiling
SciSports, a leading data analytics firm, rated Nusa as the poorest winger across the Bundesliga last season based on analysis of hundreds of in-game statistics.
He operated more of a left-sided midfielder than a wide attacker, and that goes some way to explain his disappointing offensive output. Across the Bundesliga and Champions League, he delivered just three goals and three assists in 31 matches.
Antonio Nusa vs. Bundesliga wingers: Overall performance (2024/25)
But that is only part of the story. Nusa is an exciting dribbler and has a high ceiling should his potential be unlocked. SciSports indicates that he is capable of one day becoming a first-team starter for Arsenal.
On top of this, he is also a versatile player and would be able to provide immediate cover for either Gabriel Martinelli on Arsenal’s left or Bukayo Saka on the right.
In addition to this, the Gunners appear to be banking on Nusa becoming even more effective when played in a more advanced role.
One drawback is his price. Nusa has an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €35.5m, so Arsenal would be paying over the odds at €45m.
While Nusa was the worst winger in the Bundesliga last season, there’s much more to come from him, and though overpriced, the Norway international isn’t someone who should be readily written off if this deal goes ahead.
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