For various reasons, the 2024 January transfer window was the quietest in recent memory. Even the Premier League – traditionally seen as the land of endless riches – was not insulated from this reality, with most of its clubs watching the recruitment period pass by without major incident.
There were a few exceptions to this rule, however. One such case was three London clubs’ committed attempts to bring Antonio Nusa to England. Tottenham and Chelsea are both understood to have contacted Club Brugge over the forward’s availability, though it was Brentford that eventually emerged as his most likely destination.
The Bees even managed to hammer out a £25 million ($31.1m) deal to sign the Norway international, before his medical flagged an issue with his knee cartilage and potential long-standing back problems. Thus, at the eleventh hour, Brentford pulled out of the running, leaving the highly-rated teenager to see out the season in Belgian’s top-flight.
No doubt Nusa would have been left a little frustrated by how events played out, but there’s still plenty of time for him to earn his big move. In fact, it’s likely that this summer will see a host of Europe’s top clubs take a fresh look at the precocious talent. But is the hype justified? GOAL has taken an in-depth look at the record-setting wideman…
Where it all began
Born in Eastern Norway in April 2005, Nusa began his footballing journey at local team Langhus IL. Then, aged 13, he attracted the attention of one the area’s bigger clubs: Stabaek Fotball.
After impressing in the youth teams, he was handed a three-year professional contract in 2021, with the then-16-year-old Nusa saying: “It’s very fun. It shows that the club has great faith in me. Today is a big day.”
Not long after signing that deal, he found himself among the first-team ranks. After a handful of substitute appearances, the catalyst for him breaking into the senior side permanently was Stabaek shipping four goals before half-time against Bodo/Glimt in June.
With the game beyond them, Nusa was thrown on at the break and showed his talent, netting a remarkable consolation goal nine minutes from time. Driving down the left wing, he swiftly darted inside with a lightning-quick chop before finding the top corner with a pinpoint, bending effort.
Nusa would follow this up with a well-taken brace in the following match against Viking FK, cementing his spot in the starting XI. These performances made bigger clubs take note, though, and in August 2021 he completed a deadline-day move to Club Brugge.
The big break
Nusa initially had to be patient when he arrived in Belgium. After growing used to first-team minutes back home, the teenager almost exclusively featured for the club’s Under-19s during his first campaign, making just one league appearance as Club Brugge lifted the title.
Nusa did at least feature prominently in the UEFA Youth League. Placed in a tough group alongside Paris Saint-Germain, RB Leipzig and Manchester City, he scarcely missed a minute as Brugge progressed to the knockouts, where they were dumped out by young-talent specialists FC Midtjylland.
Nusa would more than make amends for that disappointment in the Champions League proper the following year. After impressing in pre-season, Musa earned an appearance off the bench during Brugge’s group-stage clash with Porto. The hosts were heavy favourites for the tie, but by the time Nusa entered the fray, the Belgian side were 3-0 up. The youngster then poured salt on Porto’s wounds, slipping past a knackered Pepe and striking powerfully into the bottom corner. It capped off a historic night for Club Brugge, and an equally significant evening for Nusa personally.
With that strike, he became the second-youngest Champions League goal-scorer of all time at 17 years 149 days, with only Barcelona’s Ansu Fati netting at a more tender age in the competition. The moment made the world stand up and take real notice of Nusa, and he’s only pushed on in recent times.
How it’s going
A string of spritely cameos for the first team throughout the 2022-23 season resulted in Nusa growing in importance for Norway’s age-group teams, and he netted a world-class strike in an impressive win over France at U19 level, which helped him earn a spot in the U21s side.
With Nusa’s profile increasing and Nigeria sniffing around – he is eligible to represent the Super Eagles through his father – Norway acted quickly to tie down the wideman in September 2023. He made a splash on his senior debut too, registering a goal and assist in a 6-0 victory over Jordan. There’s hope that he can provide the ‘X factor’ in the final third to propel Norway to the next level, with Martin Odegaard and Erling Haaland yet to grace a major tournament with their country.
For his club, injuries have occasionally stifled Nusa’s development this season, though he’s still managed to make 37 appearances in all competitions, scoring four times and providing four assists. And with the protracted January transfer saga firmly in the rear-view mirror, he’s refocused his effort since the turn of the year, starting each of Brugge’s first three matches of the Pro League’s Champions’ Play-Off stage.
Biggest strengths
Nusa’s biggest weapon is his dribbling. The teenager possesses pace and agility in abundance, as well as a box full of tricks that makes him a nightmare to defend against.
He is brave too, constantly looking to beat his man when the opportunity presents itself. No player who’s made more than 20 appearances is averaging more successful take-ons (4.38) per 90 minutes in the Pro League this season. He’s also adept at carrying the ball forward into space. Aside from Gent’s Malick Fofana, no Pro League player is racking up more progressive carries (6.7) per 90 than Nusa this campaign.
Nusa’s dribbling capabilities are aided by his ambipedal nature. Equally comfortable with either foot, it is difficult to predict what his next move will be. Regardless of which wing he is deployed on, he is capable of going inside or outside to beat his opposite number – a trait that even some of the most-expensive wide men on the planet do not possess.
Nusa’s confidence extends to his shooting too, as just 10 players are averaging more efforts per 90 minutes in the Pro League this campaign. This is indicative of his desire to provide match-winning moments, which is impressive considering his limited experience.
Off the ball, he works exceptionally hard. This industriousness and his developing intelligence makes him a good fit for a high-pressing system at an elite club.
Room for improvement
Although there is a lot to get excited about when watching Nusa, he is a long way from the finished product. His goal and assist numbers are far from spectacular, with 34 Pro League shots returning just three goals this season.
This shaky decision making and execution in the final third extends to his creative endeavors too. For all of his dribbling ability, Nusa has managed just 0.54 completed crosses per 90 minutes this campaign, with over 60 Pro League players managing better.
Physically, there are concerns too. Particularly if he ends up in the Premier League, his lack of bulk could cause him issues. He is still developing in this regard, of course, but he may struggle to deal with some of the defensive bruisers England has to offer.
The next… Neymar?
“I like to create chaos,” Nusa told Aftonposten in April 2021. “Neymar is my role model because he creates chaos on the pitch with his dribbling, just like me. He is one of the best in the world.”
And it’s not just the man himself who has made comparisons with the Brazilian legend. “I can see similarities to Neymar in Nusa’s movements and in the way he uses the ball,” the teenager’s former Stabaek team-mate, Mats Solheim said back in 2021. “There is still a small gap between them, but he can get there.”
That might be understating things a little – Nusa has a long way to go to count himself as Neymar’s equal – but the way he glides past his opponents is certainly akin to the ex-PSG star in his prime.
What comes next?
The medical issues that ended Nusa’s shot at a Premier League move in January have now been resolved. “So they got a little worried”, he told VG. “That’s okay. We were worried of course. Something wasn’t right. It was important to get to the bottom of it. We’ve done that now.”
“It’s about health. As a footballer, you want to be 100 percent. I was afraid there was something wrong with my body. Those were difficult times, but it wasn’t really a problem. That’s what we found out.”
That news is likely to reignite the race for Nusa’s signature this summer. The trio of capital clubs that were interested in the winter will no doubt be involved in the running again, while the fact that his contract is now six months closer to expiring in 2027 may convince several continental clubs to take a look at him too.
There’s no doubting Nusa’s talent, but after Club Brugge went within a medical of getting in excess of £25m for one of their prized assets in January, his price tag may put a few of his potential suitors off. Regardless, it seems like only a matter of time before Norway’s next great hope is strutting his stuff in one of Europe’s top leagues.
