Arsenal Handed Antonio Nusa Transfer Lifeline by RB Leipzig North London 2026

Key Points

• Arsenal’s Target: Arsenal are actively monitoring 21-year-old RB Leipzig and Norway international winger Antonio Nusa, having sent a delegate to watch him in the UEFA Champions League against Manchester City.
• RB Leipzig’s Financial Requirement: RB Leipzig must generate more than €100 million (gross) in transfer revenue during the summer of 2027 even if they qualify for the Champions League, and significantly more if they fail to qualify.
• Shift in Transfer Stance: While Leipzig previously deemed Nusa untouchable and off-limits for a mid-season January move, the Bundesliga side are expected to listen to offers in the summer of 2027.
• Valuation and Contract Terms: Nusa is under contract until 2029 and does not have a release clause, leaving Leipzig to set a realistic summer valuation of €70 million to €90 million (approximately £58 million to £75 million), though continued form could push that toward a nine-figure sum.
• Competitor Update and Player Stance: Bayern Munich have been ruled out of the race for Nusa’s signature, while Nusa himself stated he is stepping back from transfer headlines to stay focused.
• Arsenal’s Attacking Context: Following the summer exits of Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, and Leandro Trossard, alongside a quadriceps injury to Bukayo Saka, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is seeking attacking reinforcements, though a January deal remains unlikely.

North London (North London News) November 13, 2026 – Arsenal have been handed a significant boost in their pursuit of RB Leipzig winger Antonio Nusa after revelations emerged regarding the German club’s financial need to generate substantial transfer revenue next year. While RB Leipzig maintained a firm stance that the 21-year-old Norwegian international was not for sale during the previous summer window and remain reluctant to sanction a mid-season exit, new reporting indicates that the Bundesliga outfit will need to raise more than €100 million in gross player sales in the summer of 2027.

Why Are RB Leipzig Under Pressure to Sell Antonio Nusa?

As reported by Tom Canton of football.london, Antonio Nusa is a player of genuine interest to Arsenal, though football.london understands that RB Leipzig do not wish to part company with the winger immediately, having held firm on their position that he was not for sale during the prior summer. However, the financial realities facing the German club have altered the long-term outlook for the Norway international.

As reported by Philipp Hinze of Sky Sport Germany, RB Leipzig will once again be required to generate more than €100 million (gross) in transfer revenue in the summer of 2027, even if the club successfully qualifies for the UEFA Champions League. Should Leipzig fail to secure Champions League qualification for next season, that required revenue figure will rise significantly.

Addressing the club’s transfer policy and Nusa’s availability, Philipp Hinze of Sky Sport Germany explained that “at RB Leipzig, no player is untouchable, as we recently saw with Yan Diomande, and the same holds true for Antonio Nusa. However, this only applies to the summer of 2027”. Hinze further clarified the timeline regarding a potential winter approach, stating that

“in the winter, a transfer is theoretically off the table, but only theoretically because you never know if a team will come forward with an indecent offer that can’t be refused. The clear objective, however, is that Nusa stays beyond the winter”.

How Much Would Antonio Nusa Cost Arsenal?

Because Nusa’s contract at the Red Bull Arena runs until 2029 and contains no release clause, RB Leipzig retain full control over negotiations and are able to set their own asking price. As reported by Philipp Hinze of Sky Sport Germany, “in the summer, things will become interesting. He does not have a release clause. As things stand, a realistic price tag is €70 million to €90m, but it is difficult to name an exact figure because the rest of the season will be decisive”. Hinze also noted that “if he keeps performing… Leipzig will start dreaming of a nine-figure fee in the summer”.

Other outlets have cited varying valuations and potential bid figures circulating around the Premier League leaders:

• TuttoJuve: As reported by Subhankar Mondal of Football365 citing Italian outlet TuttoJuve, Arsenal are “considering an offer around €55million” (£46 million) for the winger, noting that “Nusa would represent a particularly attractive addition due to his ability to start from the left flank, take on opponents, and create goalscoring opportunities”.
• football.london & Daily Cannon: Reports from football.london indicate Leipzig value the winger at roughly £58 million while Arsenal’s internal valuation sits closer to £46 million, whereas Daily Cannon notes Leipzig are hoping for up to £75 million.
• Club Brugge Sell-On Clause: As reported by Voetbalfocus, Nusa’s former club Club Brugge—who sold him to Leipzig for approximately €21 million—hold a 10 per cent sell-on clause on any future profit generated from his transfer.

What Have Fabrizio Romano and Other Experts Said About a January Deal?

Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano echoed the view that a mid-season move in January 2027 faces steep obstacles following Leipzig’s summer sale of winger Yan Diomande to Real Madrid. As reported by TEAMtalk, Fabrizio Romano stated that “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”.

Romano also highlighted the growing scouting presence around the Norwegian international, adding that “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”.

Meanwhile, Arsenal have received encouraging news regarding rival suitors. As reported by Florian Plettenberg of Sky Sport Germany, a move to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich is “highly, highly unlikely,” with the German giants out of the running for undisclosed reasons. Furthermore, during a supporter Q&A session, football.london Arsenal correspondent Tom Canton named Antonio Nusa as his personal pick for a left-wing signing, while reiterating that RB Leipzig do not wish to sell in the winter and that Arsenal would likely need player outgoings to create squad space and funds for a marquee attacker.

What Has Antonio Nusa Said About the Arsenal Transfer Rumours?

Despite intense media coverage linking him with both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, Nusa has publicly downplayed the transfer speculation. Speaking to Norwegian broadcaster TV 2, as reported by Goal.com, Antonio Nusa stated:

“I try to take a step back from it. There is a lot going on at the same time now. I try not to open my mobile phone too often, because there is always some stuff there”.

Background: Antonio Nusa’s Rise and Arsenal’s Attacking Needs

Antonio Nusa’s emergence as a primary transfer target stems from both his rapid statistical output during the 2026–27 campaign and structural changes within Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal squad.

Nusa’s 2026–27 Form and International Breakthrough

Following the departure of Yan Diomande to Real Madrid in the summer of 2026, the 21-year-old stepped into a central attacking role for RB Leipzig. Across his opening 15 appearances in all competitions during the 2026–27 season, Nusa recorded six goals and eight assists, including four goals and seven assists in nine Bundesliga matches—averaging 1.52 goal contributions per 90 minutes in league play. He also scored against Manchester City in a 3–2 UEFA Champions League defeat on November 5, 2026, a match attended by an Arsenal delegate sent specifically to scout him. Prior to the club season, Nusa played a prominent role in Norway’s run to the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, their deepest tournament run since 1998.

Arsenal’s Squad Reshuffle

Arsenal’s pursuit of a wide forward follows a significant reshaping of their frontline during the 2026 summer transfer window, which saw the departures of Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, and Leandro Trossard. While the reigning Premier League champions brought in Christos Tzolis to compete with Eberechi Eze on the left flank—alongside Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke on the right, and Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres centrally—injuries and positional preferences have tested Mikel Arteta’s depth. Saka suffered a quadriceps injury against Bayern Munich on October 21, 2026, sidelining him for several weeks, while Arteta has remained reluctant to deploy Eze permanently on the left wing.

Prediction: How This Development Could Affect Arsenal and Their Supporters

For Arsenal’s recruitment department, manager Mikel Arteta, and the club’s supporters, RB Leipzig’s €100 million gross sales requirement provides a clear strategic pathway—provided the North London club are willing to wait until the summer of 2027.

• Summer 2027 Window Dynamics: Rather than facing an immovable “not for sale” stance, Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta and the club’s hierarchy can prepare a structured summer bid knowing Leipzig must offload high-value assets—such as Nusa, defender Castello Lukeba (who holds a €65 million release clause), or midfielder Ezechiel Banzuzi—to balance their books.
• Reduced Domestic and European Competition: With Bayern Munich reportedly out of the picture, Arsenal face reduced competition from one of Europe’s traditional buyers of Bundesliga talent, strengthening their negotiating position if they formalise their interest.
• Short-Term Implications for Fans: Arsenal supporters hoping for an immediate January 2027 reinforcement to aid their domestic and European title defences are likely to face patience. Unless Arsenal submit an extraordinary mid-season offer or sanction a major outgoing—such as fielding sizeable bids for Viktor Gyokeres—Arteta will rely on his existing attacking rotation until the summer window opens.