By Zach Lowy
From Christopher Nkunku (Chelsea) to Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool) to Joško Gvardiol (Manchester Metropolis), increasingly gamers are incomes profitable strikes to the most important golf equipment in Europe after impressing in Saxony. At 19 years of age, it’s solely a matter of time earlier than Antonio Nusa does the identical.
Born in Langhus, Norway to a Nigerian father and a Norwegian mom, Nusa joined Stabæk‘s youth academy in 2018 and ascended the ranks earlier than finally making his Eliteserien debut on 30 Might 2021. Over the subsequent three months, Nusa would register 3 targets in 13 appearances, together with a brace on his full debut vs. Viking, earlier than becoming a member of Membership Brugge on the ultimate day of the summer season switch window. Whereas his first season overseas primarily befell with Membership Brugge’s U19s, Nusa did play as soon as within the Croky Cup, as soon as within the common season, and twice within the Jupiler Professional League Championship Play-Offs, the place he opened his account in Belgium. Union Saint-Gilloise had led the desk for 200 days till dropping twice to Membership Brugge within the playoffs, with Nusa scoring in a 2-0 victory vs. USG and main them to their first league championship hat-trick because the Seventies.
“Nusa is among the children who’s jogged my memory essentially the most of Kylian Mbappé in recent times,” stated Jacek Kulig of the Soccer Expertise Scout web site. “I already noticed his unimaginable motor abilities, bravery, and verticality whereas watching him for Stabæk. He’s capable of mix his elite motor abilities with a large amount of bravery, and most significantly, his decision-making is enhancing in order that he received’t be only a speedster sooner or later.”
Nusa constructed on this momentum by grabbing an help in his first league match of the 2022/23 marketing campaign earlier than discovering the again of the web on 13 September 2022 in a 4–0 away win towards Porto. In doing so, Nusa grew to become the youngest Norwegian participant to characteristic within the UEFA Champions League and the second-youngest participant to attain within the Champions League behind Ansu Fati (each Lamine Yamal and George Ilenikhena have since surpassed him). Regardless of registering simply 3 aim contributions in 31 first-team appearances, Nusa’s performances attracted the eye of Ståle Solbakken, who gave him his Norway debut on 7 September 2023: Nusa shortly repaid his belief with a aim and an help in a pleasant vs. Jordan earlier than grabbing a brace of assists vs. Georgia and an help vs. Cyprus in his first two aggressive matches. It wasn’t lengthy earlier than the Premier League got here calling, with Brentford getting ready to launch a €33m plus €4m bid in January 2024, solely to drag out resulting from underlying medical points with the participant’s again and knees.
Though Nusa’s 2023/24 season was marred with accidents and a scarcity of productiveness in entrance of aim (4 targets and 4 assists in 46 appearances), he however completed joint-third in Membership Brugge’s squad for photographs per 90 (2.9) and joint-first for possession received within the closing third per 90 (0.9), whereas solely Royal Antwerp’s Chidera Ejuke (4.0) accomplished extra profitable dribbles per 90 than Nusa (3.8) in your entire Belgian top-flight. It’s why RB Leipzig determined to signal Nusa to a five-year contract, paying €21 million plus €7 million for {the teenager}. Nusa seamlessly adjusted from Belgium to Germany with a aim contribution in every of his first three appearances, scoring on his debut – a 4-1 win vs. RW Essen within the DFB-Pokal – grabbing the winner vs. VfL Bochum inside minutes of coming off the bench, and helping Loïs Openda’s decisive aim to finish Bayer Leverkusen’s 43-match home unbeaten run. He was again at it once more in October, slicing by Heidenheim’s protection like butter and carving a by ball in direction of Openda, who cooly completed the only aim of the match, while he additionally put the seal on a 4-2 victory towards St. Pauli within the cup and grabbed a aim and an help of their 4-3 loss to Hoffenheim on 23 November.
“Nusa began off as a pure No. 10 as a result of Leipzig needed him to offer precisely what Xavi Simons provides,” stated German soccer guide Adam Khan. “He’s cell between the strains and fairly athletic for a conventional central participant, however Leipzig have just lately recognised that his finest qualities are as a real winger.”
“Leipzig would doubtlessly concern that the left-sided pairing of David Raum and Nusa may very well be too offensive, however with Raum out injured, they’ve been extra snug enjoying Nusa in a real winger position. Initially, Nusa was typically solely approaching late in fixtures, however since Xavi Simons obtained damage on October 23, he has turn out to be a talisman in assault, and he’s in all probability been Leipzig’s most constant and spectacular attacking weapon because the begin of November.”
Leipzig’s damage disaster has seen key figures like Simons, Raum, Xaver Schlager and Yussuf Poulsen miss vital intervals, and it has additionally taken a toll on their type. After a run of 5 losses and a draw – the most recent being a 5-1 residence drubbing vs. Wolfsburg – Leipzig wanted a win on Wednesday to save lots of Marco Rose’s job. As soon as once more, Nusa delivered the products with a hat-trick of assists en path to a 3-0 win towards Eintracht Frankfurt within the DFB-Pokal, while he additionally accomplished essentially the most dribbles in Leipzig’s 2-0 victory at Holstein Kiel on Saturday.
It doesn’t get any simpler for Rose’s aspect, who will host Aston Villa and Eintracht earlier than closing out the yr with a visit to Bayern Munich, however in Nusa, they’ve a rising star who appears to be like set to play not only a very important position for Leipzig, however Norway as effectively. Having grabbed a brace vs. Slovenia and a aim and help vs. Kazakhstan of their closing two matches of 2024, Nusa is shortly rising as a key determine in assault for Løvene, and alongside the likes of Erling Haaland, Martin Ødegaard, and Alexander Sørloth, he may have what it takes to spearhead Norway to their first main match since 2000.
(Cowl picture from IMAGO)
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