Chelsea recently confirmed the signing of Cole Palmer from Manchester City, but the Blues might be after another forward on transfer deadline day if reports are to be believed. According to Pieter-Jan Calcoen of Nieuwsblad Sport, Chelsea have lodged a bid for Antonio Nusa.
The 18-year-old joined Club Brugge from Stabaek in 2021 and has gone on to make 45 appearances in all competitions, scoring four goals with three assists. Nusa had a hand in four goals from 34 games last season, but he only started 10 times and was substituted off in all of them.
The Norwegian youth international has contributed three goals in six starts this season, so he’s developing into a real talent. Nusa has four years remaining on his deal at the Jan Breydel Stadium, but it remains to be seen if he’d turn down a move to Chelsea if it transpired.
The Blues have been the busiest Premier League club in the transfer market this summer, signing Palmer (Man City), Moisés Caicedo (Brighton & Hove Albion), Roméo Lavia (Southampton), Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig), Axel Disasi (AS Monaco), Nicolas Jackson (Villarreal), Lesley Ugochukwu (Stade Rennais), Robert Sánchez (Brighton), Deivid Washington (Santos), Djordje Petrovic (New England) and Ângelo (Santos), so Nusa could be their 12th acquisition outside of signings for the U21s and U18s.
Chelsea are believed to have bid €30m (£26m) for the Norwegian winger despite having attacking depth in the squad. Pochettino has Nkunku, Palmer, Raheem Sterling, Mykhaylo Mudryk and Noni Madueke, so he’s not lacking in the position. Todd Boehly is planning for the future, however, with a real focus on signing the youngest talents in Europe, so their interest in Nusa makes some sense.
Time will tell if Brugge are willing to let him go with only days left of the summer transfer window, as they won’t have much time to locate a replacement for the teenager. Nusa wouldn’t be an immediate regular for Chelsea if he was signed, so that might factor in his decision.
