Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira ahead of the Premier League match at City Ground, Nottingham. Picture date: Saturday November 12, 2022. - Photo by Icon sport
Crystal Palace make contact for ‘fantastic’ £25m forward likened to Neymar
Crystal Palace have made contact with Antonio Nusa’s camp as they look to fight off Premier League rivals Wolves, Brentford and Tottenham Hotspur for the potential Michael Olise replacement.
HITC understands that, with Michael Olise on his way to Bayern Munich, Crystal Palace have turned to one of the most exciting young talents in Europe.
Antonio Nusa only turned 19 in April. But he already has a host of Premier League club’s battling to secure his signature.
Brentford came close in January. According to the Telegraph, Thomas Frank’s side agreed a £25 million deal with Club Brugge, only for talks to break down later in the window.
“First and foremost, I had always intended to stay here until the summer. That also makes it much easier today,” Nusa would explain to Het Nieuwsblad, insisting that the plan was always to see out the 2023/24 campaign in Belgium.
“Suddenly, a lot started to move. I spoke a few times with Brentford, including the coach (Frank), and was very excited. In the end, it didn’t happen. It’s things you can’t control.”
Crystal Palace in for Club Brugge starlet Antonio Nusa
HITC have been told that, five months on, Brentford’s interest remains unchanged. Tottenham Hotspur are another long-time admirer, though it remains to be seen how Nusa would fit in given that Ange Postecoglou’s side already have Richarlison, Dejan Kulusevski, Heung-Min Son Brennan Johnson, Manor Solomon and Timo Werner.
Brighton and Hove Albion are also keen on Nusa, alongside Wolverhampton Wanderers. HITC understands, however, that it is Crystal Palace who have stolen a march. Oliver Glasner’s team havae made contact with the teenager’s camp.
Nusa can play on either flank, or through the middle. With only three goals and three assists from 20 Jupiler League games last season, he is far from the finished article. But neither were Olise, Ebere Eze, or Marc Guehi when they all joined Crystal Palace as youngsters unproven at the top level.
