Tottenham Hotspur have already added two new faces to their playing squad during the January transfer window and are now reportedly closing in on a third – but with a twistr.
Tottenham blow Chelsea away in £25m Nusa chase
The Lilywhites are set to win the race to sign Club Brugge forward Antonio Nusa ahead of their rivals, although he would not be available to Ange Postecoglou until the 2024/25 campaign. According to Football Insider, Daniel Levy has blown Premier League rivals Chelsea, as well as Fulham, away with a swoop for the talented teenager.
The report claims that Spurs are working hard to seal a £25m deal for the 18-year-old wizard and are now in ‘pole position’ to secure an early agreement before the window slams shut at the start of February, rather than waiting until the summer.
It states that Tottenham have stolen a march on Chelsea and Fulham as they have offered to send Nusa back to Brugge on loan for the remainder of this season, which is similar to the tactic they used with Destiny Udogie when they signed him from Udinese.
The Italy international remained with the Italian side on loan before linking up with his new teammates last summer, and the 21-year-old dnamo has hit the ground running as a regular starter for Postecoglou this term.
| 2023/24 Premier League | Destiny Udogie (via Sofascore) |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 18 |
| Starts | 18 |
| Sofascore rating | 6.91 |
| Goals | One |
| Assists | Two |
| Ball recoveries | 115 |
That proposal is said to have convinced Nusa as he is keen to remain with his current club until the summer, which this offer from Spurs would allow him to do. Football Insider add that the club are prioritising the signings of players under the age of 24 as they look to bolster the squad with young talent.
Nusa’s potential is off the charts
The 18-year-old wizard is a promising gem who could arrive as a long-term project rather than a player to make an immediate impact on the pitch when he joins in the summer, should this deal go through.
He has plenty of time left to develop and improve over the years to come, with his 19th birthday not until April of this year, and Postecoglou could look to bed him in slowly in the hope that the talented dynamo eventually develops into a regular first-team starter.
As articulated by Sky Sports producer Dougie Critchley, Nusa could continue to grow whilst playing consistent minutes for Brugge in Belgium during the second half of the campaign. The left winger, who U23 scout Antonio Mango claimed has “ankle breaking” agility, caught the eye with his impressive displays during the first half of the season with three goals, two assists, and five ‘big chances’ created in 15 appearances and six Pro League starts.
He also made a few appearances for Norway during their European Championship qualifying campaign and produced three assists across three outings, despite being a starter in just one of those matches.
The Brugge starlet has shown plenty of promise with his contributions at the top end of the pitch for club and country and Spurs fans may keep a watchful eye on his performances between now and the rest of the season if Levy wins the race to land him ahead of next season.