Arsenal are reported to be ready to step up their interest in signing Antonio Nusa in the January window, with RB Leipzig making clear their asking price for the Norwegian winger, but with Fabrizio Romano making clear their stance on a sale in the winter window.

The Gunners are riding high at the top of the Premier League, having claimed nine wins from their 10 matches played so far and already look a very solid bet at retaining their Premier League crown.

But while Mikel Arteta can feel satisfied with the start his players have made, his squad building at Arsenal remains an ongoing process and, having allowed both Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard to leave over the summer, the Gunners do look a little bit light on the left-hand side of their attack.

Of course, Andrea Berta did bring in £34m (€40m) Christos Tzolis to play off the left, and while the Greek livewire has performed well, his four assists and no goals from 11 appearances so far suggest the Gunners may need another option to fall back on.

With the January window opening for business in 52 days’ time, reports in Germany claim Arsenal are preparing a move to try and tempt Leipzig to part with Nusa, with the Norway international in a rich vein of form this season.

At 21 years of age, he is nowhere near reaching his peak and, having already contributed to 14 G/A (six scored, eight assists) in 15 games this season, there are few left-wingers in world football in better form than Nusa right now.

Now, according to Bild, Arsenal sent scouts to watch the 21-year-old during their recent Champions League game against Manchester City and witnessed him scoring a goal during their narrow 3-2 defeat.

The German publication also reports that Arteta is ‘impressed by Nusa’s tactical discipline, versatility, and athleticism’.

However, it’s also claimed a deal will be hugely problematic to pull off in the January window, unless Arsenal are prepared to offer an ‘exceptional fee’ and one in excess of the €80m (£67m, $90m) they currently rate him at.

Romano insists Arsenal may need patience to land Antonio Nusa

That view is also shared by Romano, with the transfer guru suggesting Leipzig will have no desire to part with another prized winger just a matter of months after selling Yan Diomande to Real Madrid for a €140m (£120m, $160m) fee.

Romano explained on his YouTube channel: “In the January window, I think it’s going to be difficult, because Leipzig already generated a big amount of money last summer with Yan Diomandé. So it was a big sale, same position – winger – obviously a different kind of player, but still a winger.

“And so generating big money to sell Antonio Nusa in the January window would mean to completely, probably, kill the excitement up front for this team. They still have good players, but Nusa obviously is a special one, and so to sell him in January would be complicated; it would take a crazy proposal to change the plan.

“In football, never say never, because even with Diomandé, the original plan from Leipzig in February/March 2026 was, ‘Let’s keep the player, let’s offer a new contract, let me put a clause and sell him in 2027.’ But then it was impossible when these big proposals arrived. So let’s see what’s going to happen there. But in January, I think it’s unlikely.

“The interest around Nusa is growing, and it’s growing a lot, because many top clubs are sending their scouts to follow the boy, and many top clubs are talking with people close to the boy. So there is already movement around Nusa, and I would not be surprised to see something happen in general in 2027. But to say ‘in January’, at the moment there is still no guarantee at all.”

Arsenal the obvious move for 21-year-old winger

While Arsenal are understood to be exploring a possible move for the 34-cap Norwegian superstar, his country’s former midfielder Kristoffer Løkberg claims Nusa’s potential is now “exploding” after explaining why Arsenal are the “completely obvious option” as to where the player goes next.

Løkberg told Bakrommet (via Nettavisen): “He is one of the world’s most exciting left-wingers. We have been waiting for his potential to come to full bloom, but now it is exploding. Then the big clubs can no longer sit on the fence. Then you have to act quickly before he disappears, or they will be left regretting it.

“In today’s football, he is worth quite a lot. We are going to pay over 500m NKK [€48m]. Then it ultimately depends on which clubs sign up. I guess Leipzig hope the Premier League clubs express their interest seriously, because that is where the biggest money lies, the football expert believes.

Løkberg added: “The completely obvious option in the Premier League is Arsenal.

“The player fits their playing style, and the club has a real need. They basically only have Tzolis and a slightly half-hearted Eberechi Eze as options on the left wing. I think Arsenal sit around every day, weighing whether to pull the trigger.”

Løkberg concluded: “We must not forget PSG. With Khvitsja Kvaratskhelia out for a long time, Nusa can fit in there. The question is whether he wants to play in France, or whether he wants everyday life in the Premier League where the competition is overall tougher every week.”

Elsewhere, Romano has revealed the final decision Arsenal have come to over a January exit for little-seen defender Piero Hincapie, while also shedding light on the Gunners’ dreams of signing a new striker.