Nusa Transfer Saga: Arsenal and Spurs Compete as Leipzig Demand £51m

The World Cup has done what World Cups always do. It has taken a rising talent and turned him into a full‑blown transfer saga.

This time the name on every shortlist is Nusa.

Fresh from an eye‑catching tournament with Norway and a breakout Bundesliga season, the 21‑year‑old winger has moved from “one to watch” to “one to win” for some of Europe’s biggest clubs. According to The Sun, Arsenal and Tottenham are preparing to go head‑to‑head for his signature, but both know the same hard truth: RB Leipzig want £51 million, and they are not blinking.

Nusa played six times at the World Cup and scored Norway’s first goal in their last‑32 win over Ivory Coast, a moment that seemed to crystallise his new status. The performances that followed only sharpened the focus. Across the continent, recruitment departments have taken note; Leipzig’s valuation reflects that.

Arsenal weigh their options

At Arsenal, the interest is real, but the approach is cautious.

The club are in no rush to lodge a formal bid. First, they want clarity on the future of Gabriel Martinelli. The Brazilian is not on the market in any active sense, yet the equation is simple: a bid north of £51 million from Europe or Asia could force a rethink in north London.

The wing department has already shifted. Leandro Trossard has left for Besiktas, while Christos Tzolis has arrived from Club Brugge to freshen up Mikel Arteta’s attacking options. Arsenal also saw a major target slip away when Chelsea closed a £117 million deal for Morgan Rogers, leaving them to reassess how they add another high‑end attacker.

Nusa fits the profile. Young, explosive, proven at Bundesliga level, and now tested on the World Cup stage. But Arsenal, burned by the scale of recent fees across the market, appear determined not to move until the dominoes around Martinelli and any further outgoings begin to fall.

Spurs interested, but blocked by numbers

Across north London, Tottenham like the player just as much.

Their problem is not desire. It is space.

Spurs must trim the squad before they can move. The situations of returning loanees Manor Solomon and Mikey Moore need sorting out, and until those futures are resolved, an official bid for Nusa remains on ice.

Yet the need for another winger is obvious. Dejan Kulusevski, Mohammed Kudus, Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert have all been ruled out of the club’s pre‑season tour of New Zealand and Australia through injury, leaving gaps where there should be competition. For a club that wants to attack with pace and variety, that is not a sustainable picture.

The appeal of Nusa in this context is clear: he offers direct running, youth, and resale value. The question is whether Spurs can move quickly enough once they clear the decks, or whether someone else will get there first.

Italy makes its move

Because this is not just a Premier League tug‑of‑war.

AC Milan and AS Roma have already pushed their chips into the middle of the table. Both clubs have opened direct talks with Nusa’s representatives, looking to jump ahead of their English rivals.

The same report suggests Milan see Nusa as a priority target. To make it happen, they are prepared to look at selling Rafael Leao, a major decision that underlines how highly they rate the Norwegian. Roma, operating from a different financial bracket, are said to be ready to test Leipzig with a £38 million offer — significant money, but still short of the German club’s line in the sand.

This is where the tension lies. Everyone wants value. Leipzig want their price.

The £51m question

Nusa is understood to be open to a new challenge after his successful World Cup. That willingness removes one of the usual obstacles in deals of this size. The player is ready. The market is hot. The interest is broad.

Yet every conversation, from London to Milan to Rome, keeps looping back to the same sticking point: £51 million.

Leipzig’s stance has not softened. They see a 21‑year‑old with elite upside, under contract, in a seller’s market. Unless someone pays close to their number, they are content to keep him and watch his value rise.

So the next few weeks will be defined by who blinks first. Does a club decide that Nusa is worth going all‑in for now, before his price climbs again? Or do Arsenal, Spurs, Milan and Roma all gamble on Leipzig eventually lowering their demands?

One thing is certain: after the World Cup he has just delivered, Nusa will not stay on the shelf for long. The only debate now is which project he chooses to grow with — and who is willing to pay the full price of that potential.