Antonio Nusa: Failed Brentford deal was "difficult" - Seen as the next Dani Olmo at Leipzig

It has been a first season of ups and downs for Antonio Nusa at RB Leipzig. Signed for €21 million from  Club Brugge in the summer, Nusa has managed five goals and seven assists in 36 games across all competitions for the Red Bulls. Currently out with a knee injury, Nusa, however, has been unable to help stop Leipzig’s difficult run of just two wins in the last ten Bundesliga games. Transfermarkt spoke to Nusa about his first year in Germany, his almost move to the Premier League, his role models, and his aspirations with Norway.

Before joining Leipzig last summer, Nusa almost ended up in the Premier League. On deadline day in January 2024, a deal with Brentford was all but agreed. Nusa was supposed to join the Premier League club in a deal worth €33m plus €4m in add-ons. That deal, however, fell through in the last minute after the English club discovered an issue at the medical. Leipzig found no issues when they did their own medical and quickly completed the deal last summer. 

“It was one year ago now; time goes fast,” Nusa said. “For a young player, I was 18 at the time, and it was difficult. In football, you have to experience those things.” Rather than moving to the Premier League, Nusa had to refocus on his former club, Brugge, which is not an easy thing for an 18-year-old player. “First, I tried to figure out what was wrong with my fitness,” Nusa said. “Then, when we realized that everything was actually alright, it was important to reset and focus on the last part of the season. It took some time; I can’t say it was easy. My family and friends were very important in that process.” 

After failed Brentford deal - Leipzig moved fast to secure Nusa

Six months later, the move to Leipzig materialized, with Leipzig identifying the Norwegian as a replacement for Dani Olmo, who was sold to Barcelona last summer. “Players know we can help them to get to a bigger club,” sporting director Marcel Schäfer said in an interview with Transfermarkt earlier this season. “We are not sad about this but happy about the fact that we helped Dani Olmo get to his best level.” Indeed, it isn’t just Olmo who used Leipzig as a stepping stone to one of Europe’s elite teams. 

Whether it is  Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool),  Josko Gvardiol (Man City), or Christopher Nkunku (Chelsea), Nusa, too, hopes to reach the next level at Leipzig. “It is definitely inspiring,” Nusa said when asked about Schäfer’s comments. “First of all, I know it is possible. Everything is possible. I also don’t mind walking in [Olmo’s] footsteps. But it is also not something that I focus on. It just isn’t where my energy goes. My goal is to create my own path, my own footsteps. It is good, though, to have those examples because they show that it is possible and that I can reach that level one day.”

One tool that Nusa used to get to his current level is YouTube. The Norwegian winger would excessively watch videos of star players doing tricks to improve his own skills. “I would watch at home, at school, and then you would get the motivation to try it yourself,” Nusa said. “You just want to be like them and play like them. So yeah, I just kept training it and would take it up on the field. It brought me a lot of joy when I was younger, just watching football. I love it.” And who was his favorite player on YouTube? “My favorite was Neymar,” Nusa said. “I am an attacker; I like watching skillful players.” 

Antonio Nusa: "My favorite was Neymar"

On the field today, Nusa, however, wants to forge his own path. “I want to be myself,” Nusa said. “But I am also humble. There is so many great players in the world of football, and I just want to learn something from everyone. I don’t care if they are older or younger; I just want to become better. So, if I can take something from another player that helps me, I will do it.” 

Nusa also had his development in mind when he picked Leipzig as the next step in his career last summer. “The club, in general, is very good and very professional,” Nusa said. “I have no excuse not to become a better player here.” There is also no shortage of talent at RB Leipzig at the moment. Whether it is Benjamin Sesko, Loïs Openda, or Xavi Simons, Leipzig once again have several players that have been linked with Europe’s top clubs. But despite all that talent, Leipzig have struggled this season and are currently fighting for a top-four finish. 

“It has been hard,” Nusa said when asked about watching from the sidelines with an injury over the last few games. But the hope is that the winger will be back after the international break. Once back on the pitch, Nusa wants to improve his game quickly and become a more complete player. “I am working on my mental game,” Nusa said. “But also, I want to be better on the right wing and become a more complete player. Ultimately, the goal is always to improve everything.”

Antonio Nusa going to the World Cup with Norway is a "big dream"

Getting back on the pitch and helping Leipzig reach the Champions League is Nusa’s most important short-term goal. Then, in the medium term, reaching the 2026 World Cup with Norway is also on the 19-year-old’s mind. “It is definitely the biggest goal with the national team,” Nusa said. With  Erling Haaland and  Martin Ødegaard leading the charge and young players like Nusa or Andreas Schjelderup coming up, the time feels right for Norway to return to a big tournament soon. “I really believe it will happen,” Nusa said. “It is a big dream to qualify with Norway.” What about the expectations? “I enjoy the expectations,” Nusa said with a smile on his face. 

Finally, what about the expectations in his club career? As alluded to, Leipzig usually is the second final step before players head to a massive European club. “I am only focused on right now,” Nusa said when asked about his future. “But you never know what happens in the future.”