Norway goes by way of considerably of a golden era. After all, Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard are on the forefront of that motion, however there’s a line of gifted gamers behind them. Antonio Nusa is one, and together with his newest emergence, the choices for Norway simply obtained enrichened many-fold.
At simply 18, he’s the apple of the attention of European elites. Identify a European large, and Nusa is being tracked by them.
Manchester United, Actual Madrid, Arsenal, Barcelona, and Chelsea are simply a number of the golf equipment who’re him with curiosity.
So, who’s Antonio Nusa, and why is there such an extended queue of admirers for a child who has by no means performed in a European top-five league?
Who’s Antonio Nusa?
Antonio Nusa is an 18-year-old attacking participant who primarily performs as an inside ahead on the left wing.
He began his skilled profession in his dwelling nation with Stabaek. His Stabaek debut got here in Might 2021, and he was off the mark within the targets column a month later towards Bodo/Glimt.
He leveraged his good performances for Stabaek to engineer a transfer to Membership Brugge in Belgium.
Brugge are well-known for being a very good breeding floor for younger abilities and Nusa’s step as much as the Belgian membership paid dividends.
He was slowly launched to the first-team setup in Belgium, making 34 appearances in his first season however solely taking part in 988 minutes as a result of he primarily got here off the bench.
Nevertheless, his penchant for making an prompt impression had not gone anyplace.
He scored on his UCL debut for Brugge, turning into the youngest debutant goalscorer within the competitors’s historical past.
Nusa additionally scored on his worldwide debut with a very good aim towards Jordan that obtained him off the mark internationally. This aim for Norway is what actually put him on the map, as he didn’t look misplaced amongst his esteemed colleagues in a 6-0 win for his nationwide staff.
So, having profiled Antonio Nusa’s achievements thus far and his path to superstardom, right here’s a take a look at the form of participant groups will probably be getting in the event that they signal him.
Antonio Nusa taking part in model
Nusa is minimize from the identical material that the fashionable attackers are coming from. He’s a dynamic and explosive ahead able to taking part in throughout the entrance line.
Nevertheless, he’s most snug taking part in on the left wing, the place he can come inside and take the ball on his stronger proper foot.
He’s an attack-minded participant who’s able to making the go to runners in behind as soon as he comes inside, though his first inclination is to have a pop at aim from the left half-space.
He’s a particularly agile dribbler and what he may lack in uncooked tempo, he greater than makes up for it with swift modifications in course that leaves the defender bamboozled.
Total, he’s a nightmare in one-on-one situations, however his finish product wants sharpening. That shouldn’t scare off groups since he’s simply 18 and has by no means performed in a top-five league. With teaching, the uncooked instruments are there to show him into an attacking figurehead for a high staff.
Even in defence, he’s a coach’s dream, particularly within the fashionable period the place no staff can afford to hold passengers/luxurious gamers. He’s diligent at monitoring again and the full-back can relaxation simple understanding Nusa will not often let him go one-on-one with the opposition winger.
That’s a fantastic high quality to have at such a younger age, one that might make him an ideal match for contemporary gegenpressing sides.
Antonio Nusa potential
Watching Nusa in motion is like watching a younger Sadio Mane who remains to be determining methods to finest utilise his excessive pure expertise.
Within the early phases of his profession, Mane was additionally marked as a participant who may do the unbelievable however was liable to spells of erratic play.
He broke by way of in a fluid Southampton staff earlier than his recreation was supercharged to world-class ranges below Jurgen Klopp’s teaching.
Nusa will probably be aiming for the same trajectory as he has the uncooked instruments that justify him being on condition that ceiling.
Nevertheless, for that, he must plan his profession path with nice care, identical to Mane did.
That brings us to the subsequent, and final level.
Antonio Nusa switch
We’ve seen the script many occasions earlier than. A younger prospect breaks by way of at a smaller membership, the world at his toes.
Large golf equipment come circling, the participant’s head will get turned, and he makes a transfer to benefit from the vibrant lights of a large.
Nevertheless, there’s no room for first-team minutes, and the participant is both caught in a mortgage cycle or offered after having misplaced years of his improvement.
The curiosity in him presently would undoubtedly flatter Nusa, however he ought to persist with Membership Brugge for now. At simply 18, he ought to escape correctly at Membership Brugge earlier than in search of pastures anew.
As talked about earlier than, the potential is there for greatness, however within the present state, he doesn’t look able to be an everyday contributor for a high membership. A season or two in Belgium, ideally one wherein he crosses the double figures for both targets or assists may then get him prepared for his subsequent problem.
For now, the world is at Antonio Nusa’s toes, however his toes want to stay grounded.