Arsenal prepare £34m bid for Nusa as Tzolis hamstring injury opens January window

Arsenal are preparing an opening bid worth approximately £34m (€40m) for RB Leipzig forward Antonio Nusa, according to reports, after new signing Christos Tzolis picked up a hamstring injury while on international duty with Greece in the Nations League.

Tzolis, who joined the Gunners in the summer alongside Ezri Konsa, Bruno Guimarães and Illan Meslier, had impressed in his early weeks at the club before the setback. Arsenal are yet to place a precise timeline on his recovery, but football.london reports the winger is expected to miss between 15 and 20 days before returning to training at London Colney.

With that short-term gap in their attacking options, German outlet Fussball News claims Arsenal have registered an interest in 20-year-old Norwegian international Nusa ahead of the January window and are already believed to be formulating an offer. The Gunners are said to be leading the chase, though Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, Newcastle United, Inter Milan, Napoli, Juventus and AC Milan are all reported to be monitoring the situation.

Arsenal’s need for wide-forward cover predates the Tzolis injury. The club lost Gabriel Jesus, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli during the summer and were widely tipped to bring in another attacker before the window closed, but no further deal was completed.

Nusa, who joined RB Leipzig from Club Brugge, has established himself as one of the more coveted young wingers in the Bundesliga, and his valuation reflects that standing. Whether Arsenal’s interest translates into a firm January move remains unclear — the club has not publicly confirmed any approach — but the combination of Tzolis’s injury and the unresolved attacking depth issue gives the pursuit a credible backdrop.