Arsenal line up £34m Antonio Nusa bid after injury blow
Arsenal are reportedly preparing to launch a mid-season transfer move following a frustrating injury blow to one of their summer signings. According to reports from Fussball News, the Gunners are readying an opening offer of around £34 million (€40 million) to secure the signature of RB Leipzig star Antonio Nusa when the transfer window reopens in January. This sudden shift in recruitment strategy has been prompted by a suspected hamstring injury suffered by Christos Tzolis. The winger was forced off while playing for Greece in their recent Nations League fixture, leaving the north London club anxious over his fitness.
A frustrating setback for Tzolis
Tzolis had enjoyed an impressive opening few weeks as an Arsenal player after completing a £34m switch from Club Brugge to the Emirates Stadium. However, the forward now faces a spell on the sidelines, with football.london reporting that he is expected to be sidelined for roughly 15 to 20 days. The Gunners are currently unwilling to place a precise timescale on his recovery. Instead, the medical staff plan to assess the Greek international’s fitness once he returns to their London Colney training base. In the meantime, the club are actively scouring the market for an alternative option who can operate in the same role.
Gunners lead the chase for Leipzig star
Norway international Nusa has emerged as the primary target to fill the void, and Arsenal are believed to be leading the race for his services. However, they are not the only Premier League side monitoring the Leipzig forward. Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, and Newcastle United have also entered the running to sign the teenager in the New Year. The competition extends beyond England, with Italian giants Inter Milan, Napoli, Juventus, and AC Milan all keeping a close eye on his situation. Despite this widespread European interest, reports suggest that Arsenal are showing the strongest intent and are already putting together their opening bid.
Addressing the summer departures
The desire to recruit another wide forward is understandable given the significant changes made to Mikel Arteta’s squad during the summer transfer window. Arsenal completed four new additions, bringing in Ezri Konsa, Bruno Guimaraes, and Illan Meslier alongside Tzolis. However, the club also sanctioned several high-profile departures, allowing Gabriel Jesus, Leandro Trossard, and Gabriel Martinelli to leave the Emirates Stadium. This left the Gunners short of options in wide areas, and they were heavily linked with bringing in another attacking addition before the summer deadline. Having failed to secure another signing then, the injury to Tzolis has brought their depth issues back into focus.
Arteta’s January transfer decision
Whether Arsenal’s interest in Nusa will translate into a concrete deal remains to be seen once the winter transfer window opens. If the Gunners do decide to press ahead with a move, they will have to act decisively to ward off interest from their Premier League and Serie A rivals. For now, Arteta must wait for a full update on Tzolis’s condition while the club’s recruitment team finalises their plans for the winter market.
