Antonio Nusa is rapidly rising as one of Europe’s top talents and is a wanted man in the Premier League.
The talented winger has been on fire for Club Brugge this season and his form in Belgium’s top flight has attracted attention from Tottenham, Chelsea and Brentford.
As Spurs and the Bees prepare to do battle tonight, we take a look at what Nusa could bring to England.
Nusa looked on the verge of completing a move to Brentford this week but complications to the deal mean his future is up in the air ahead of deadline day.
The Bees were keen on sealing a move that would allow the 18-year-old to remain at Brugge for the rest of the 2023-24 campaign before heading to West London this summer.
But both Ange Postecoglou and Mauricio Pochettino are also admirers of the Norwegian international.
With three goals and two assists from 16 appearances in the Pro League this term, Nusa provides something different to that of a standard winger in the modern game.
Similar to Manchester City’s Jeremy Doku, the speedster thrives when one-on-one with his opponents and specialises in getting out of tight spaces under pressure.
And for Spurs, Chelsea and Brentford — who pride themselves on playing attacking football — he seems the perfect profile to add quality in the final third.
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Most talent from the lesser-known leagues would jump at the chance to join a European giant but Nusa is already proving he is wise beyond his years.
The four-cap international reveals he was offered a Chelsea switch in the summer but turned it down to focus on his football.
He said: “We had to have another conversation when the money arrived, but we were on the same page. I knew what to do anyway, so it was fine.
“I want to be a footballer, but not just a footballer. I and those around me want to create the best career possible. I have to make the right choices.
“I want to find what is right for me. It is important to me.
“It was a lot of money, but I try not to think about it too much. I can’t focus on it and I don’t think it’s good for me.”
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Tussling at the top
Nusa has already made his mark in the Champions League by becoming the youngest debutant to score in the competition at 17 when he netted against Porto in September 2022.
He has yet to return to the stage with Brugge but has linked up with Premier League stars Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard on international duty.
And he has already proven to be the perfect team-mate for the pair, assisting them both in a 2-1 win over Georgia in September and only failing to score or assist in one of his four caps.
Naturally, it helps to have two of the best players in their positions on your side but Nusa is still holding his own among the elite.
Domestically, no player is completing more successful dribbles per 90 minutes than Brugge’s No32 and he continues to live up to his Norwegian Neymar nickname.
If he carries on causing chaos with his direct dribbling and eye-catching tricks, there is no doubt he will secure a move to a top club, even if he has to wait a few more months.
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