Antonio Nusa earns Bellamy’s elite praise amid Arsenal links

Craig Bellamy believes Antonio Nusa belongs at one of the world’s leading clubs after the Norway winger helped condemn Wales to a 3-1 defeat in Oslo. His praise comes amid reports Arsenal are assessing a January move.

Bellamy’s verdict on Antonio Nusa

“If I was in one of the top three, four, five clubs in the world, I would have signed him,” the Wales boss said, as quoted by VG and reported by Sports Mole.

Bellamy went further, placing the RB Leipzig winger among the three or four best wingers in the world.

What Antonio Nusa did against Wales

Nusa broke the deadlock on 59 minutes, beating Daniel James on the edge of the area and firing into the bottom corner. Norway went on to win 3-1, as covered in our Wales Nations League report.

According to Sports Mole, he had four shots, drew two fouls, made nine progressive carries and created three chances. VG said he brought out his “inner Ronaldinho” after one dribble through the Wales defence.

Sports Mole has him on six goals and eight assists in 15 games for Leipzig this season. He also has 10 goals and 10 assists in 35 caps for Norway, and he is still only 21.

English fans saw him up close earlier this month, when he scored Leipzig’s second equaliser in their 3-2 Champions League defeat to Manchester City on 4 November.

The Arsenal interest: what is being reported

Nusa’s display came amid existing reports linking him with Arsenal. TEAMtalk reported on 14 November that Arsenal sent representatives to his previous three matches, against Schalke, Manchester City and Augsburg, and have spoken with his representatives.

The same report claims Arsenal see a left-sided attacker as a January priority. It says Leipzig value Nusa at around €80m (£66m), that there is no release clause in his contract and that his deal runs until 2029.

Those remain claims attributed to TEAMtalk. The reports cited do not establish that Arsenal have submitted a bid. His long contract gives Leipzig strong leverage in any negotiation.

What Nusa would bring to Arsenal

Nusa’s strength is beating defenders one-on-one and carrying the ball forward. That is a useful weapon against deep defences, where space is tight and a winger who can create something on his own can make the difference.

He would arrive as a contender for a starting role on the left rather than a guaranteed starter. He has yet to prove himself in the Premier League, and his end product over a full season at the top level is still the open question.

Norway face Denmark on Tuesday with a quarter-final place at stake.

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Antonio Nusa: FAQ

What did Craig Bellamy say about Antonio Nusa?
He said he would have signed Nusa if he were at one of the world’s top clubs, and ranked him among the three or four best wingers in the world.

Are Arsenal trying to sign Antonio Nusa?
TEAMtalk reports that Arsenal are considering him as a January option and have spoken with his representatives. No bid has been reported.

How much is Antonio Nusa worth?
TEAMtalk reports Leipzig value him at around €80m (£66m). His contract runs until 2029 and has no release clause.