Arsenal made some solid additions to their midfield and defence over the summer, but they also saw quite a few attackers walk out the door. Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus all moved on, while young Ethan Nwaneri headed to Borussia Dortmund on loan.
That left Mikel Arteta running a bit thin in the final third, especially out on the left wing.
Christos Tzolis came in from Club Brugge for about £34 million as the only true specialist signing for the left side. Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke were supposed to chip in across the attack too, though both usually operate in other roles.
Injuries have really tested that depth lately. Bukayo Saka picked up a quad injury against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, and Arteta confirmed he will miss several more weeks. Eze has dealt with fitness troubles as well, though Tzolis has at least recovered from his hamstring issue.
Madueke has stepped up nicely in Saka’s absence, even scoring in a 2-1 Champions League win over Slavia Prague. Even so, losing Saka has exposed just how badly the squad needs another natural winger for the second half of the season.
Antonio Nusa remains one of Arsenal’s main targets. The club has kept a close eye on the Norwegian, noting his £45 million tag and his close connection with Martin Odegaard.
Things have actually moved forward quite a bit since then. Arsenal have reportedly held talks with both Leipzig and Nusa’s camp to explore a January deal, and the club are hoping Odegaard can play a big part in convincing his international teammate to move to north London.
The Arsenal captain has apparently been encouraging Nusa to consider the Emirates. The Gunners are banking on that friendship helping persuade the winger to push for a transfer.
Those talks show Arsenal’s interest has moved way past simple scouting. The real hurdle now is the price tag. Leipzig reportedly want around €70 million for him, while Arsenal would rather keep things under €55 million, leaving a pretty big gap to bridge.
Leipzig are also dead set against losing a key attacker midway through the season. With Nusa under contract until 2029, the German club holds all the cards and will not budge unless a massive offer lands on their desk.
Fabrizio Romano recently chimed in with a fresh update on the situation, too. He thinks a January move is pretty unlikely unless someone drops an extraordinary bid, noting that Leipzig would rather keep their squad intact.
Romano also pointed out that plenty of other top clubs are sending scouts to watch Nusa and asking about his future. That heavy competition could make things even harder if Arsenal decide to wait until the summer.
Nusa is not the only option on their radar, either. Atletico Madrid’s Alex Baena has popped up as another potential target since he can play out wide or through the middle. However, Atletico do not want to sell him in January, and his valuation could cause problems as well.
For now, Nusa looks like a fantastic fit for Arsenal, but Leipzig’s stubborn stance might force the Gunners to wait. The recent talks prove they are trying to make something happen, but Arteta still has to figure out if his current squad can get the job done while Saka recovers.
