Antonio Nusa

[THFCSPURS19]

The wait for a quality wide player goes on.

I'm also very sad we're not signing him but some perspective please - he is not (yet) a 'quality wide player', he's an 18-year old who doesn't start every game in the Belgian league (yes back injury etc. etc.).

 

[Metalhead]

I'm also very sad we're not signing him but some perspective please - he is not (yet) a 'quality wide player', he's an 18-year old who doesn't start every game in the Belgian league (yes back injury etc. etc.).

Exactly. He may turn out to be a world beater but at the same time, we've signed plenty of exciting prospects in the past who have not lived up to (what is in fairness other people's) expectations. It's hard to get too despondent about it.

 

[LeSoupeKitchen]

Nope, not really. If this was a key target for a position we desperately needed I'd be concerned, but it isn't. This is just a kid with potential. Lets be honest here Brentford haven't beaten us to him, we've moved out of the way. Financially we could blow them out of the water, but we've rightly so chosen not to due to the price hike.

Sounds good then. I know you're not shy to lay blame at Levy's door when deserved.

 

[Nick-TopSpursMan]

I'm also very sad we're not signing him but some perspective please - he is not (yet) a 'quality wide player', he's an 18-year old who doesn't start every game in the Belgian league (yes back injury etc. etc.).

Yeah true. At least he was the right profile of player though with a high ceiling.

We don't have a player of that style at the club, that's disheartening. Hopefully we fix that in the summer.

 

[Trix]

Yeah true. At least he was the right profile of player though with a high ceiling.

We don't have a player of that style at the club, that's disheartening. Hopefully we fix that in the summer.

I think something than needs to be mentioned here as far as a long term successor to Son is concerned is that Mikey Moore likes to play off that left hand side.

I know, I know he's only 16(17 in the Summer) but if we are talking about potential this kid has it and then some. I genuinely think he'll be getting first team minuets next season in some capacity, and If he continues to develop at the rate he has, his ceiling as a player is higher than Nusa's imo.

 

[Guernman]

Personally, I think we have misinterpreted Ange's request that we pushed for Nusa to come now as a sign that he really wanted the player. It simply doesn't make sense that we wouldn't agree to a loan back for a player we desperately want for the future, so I think it was a sign that we weren't 100% sure at all.

From Ange's point of view this is a question of utility. There is a limited budget for this window and in the summer. Doesn't mean it's not significant but it is limited. Even though things have gone very well so far, Ange is aware that he is still under pressure to deliver results over the next season or two. Even if Nusa is worth 80 million a few years from now, that doesn't help Ange in the slightest if he isn't going to make a significant impact more immediately.

To spend £25 million on an 18 year old is a big risk, and I suspect that the price we had agreed upon was at the high end of the spectrum of what we feel Nusa is worth right now. Ange probably said, alright, let's do the deal if he can come now and at least have the possibility of helping us out this season, because Nusa does have attributes we don't have in our current wide players. But if we have to wait until the summer, than let's keep the budget available for other opportunities this window who can impact this season, or other wide targets who might become available in the summer.

This to me makes the most sense of the information we have, and I actually find it reassuring. We have walked away from the type of deal Levy would have loved - buying a player because we suspect he could triple in value over the next few years - and that suggests to me that Ange really does have the final say in transfers, which is what we have all been asking for.

 

[Kendrick]

For the price being bandied about this morning I'm glad we let this one get away from us. Real life isn't football manager where you can sign 5-6 18yo's a season and wait for 1-2 of them to develop into stars. You have to be sensible and take chances when you think the value is worth it, and clearly we don't think that about this deal.

 

[Nick-TopSpursMan]

I think something than needs to be mentioned here as far as a long term successor to Son is concerned is that Mikey Moore likes to play off that left hand side.

I know, I know he's only 16(17 in the Summer) but if we are talking about potential this kid has it and then some. I genuinely think he'll be getting first team minuets next season in some capacity, and If he continues to develop at the rate he has, his ceiling as a player is higher than Nusa's imo.

I definitely agree with you on this. Moore is an incredible talent if he stays injury free.

Do you really think that he will get minutes next season though? Especially if we're competing at CL level. It would be an incredible ask and he hasn't even started playing regularly for the U21s yet. I think we're surely looking at season 25/26 before he's given minutes at the earliest.

I am extremely excited about him though.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

I think something than needs to be mentioned here as far as a long term successor to Son is concerned is that Mikey Moore likes to play off that left hand side.

I know, I know he's only 16(17 in the Summer) but if we are talking about potential this kid has it and then some. I genuinely think he'll be getting first team minuets next season in some capacity, and If he continues to develop at the rate he has, his ceiling as a player is higher than Nusa's imo.

I’ve only seen bits and pieces of Moore and there is no doubting he looks a phenomenal talent. One that should certainly be nurtured and not overlooked. The one question I have tho is do you think he has the burst of acceleration needed to be dominating WF in the PL? Not saying he doesn’t but from what I’ve seen he looks like a player that given his skill set might end up playing more central. But you would know better on this as like I said i really haven’t seen enough of him to say ether way.

Regardless of that tho considering how little the youth have featured this season I struggle to see him getting minutes next season but if he does that would most certainly be a pleasant surprise.

 

[Nick-TopSpursMan]

I’ve only seen bits and pieces of Moore and there is no doubting he looks a phenomenal talent. One that should certainly be nurtured and not overlooked. The one question I have tho is do you think he has the burst of acceleration needed to be dominating WF in the PL? Not saying he doesn’t but from what I’ve seen he looks like a player that given his skill set might end up playing more central. But you would know better on this as like I said i really haven’t seen enough of him to say ether way.

Regardless of that tho considering how little the youth have featured this season I struggle to see him getting minutes next season but if he does that would most certainly be a pleasant surprise.

That is my only question mark with Moore at the moment but his body is still developing and he could definitely add power to his legs to increase acceleration etc as he is so young. His dribbling ability is unbelievable.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

That is my only question mark with Moore at the moment but his body is still developing and he could definitely add power to his legs to increase acceleration etc as he is so young. His dribbling ability is unbelievable.

Yeah for sure he is still developing and I’m certainly not writing him off as a WF. Fact is nobody knows what he will look like by the time he’s 18/19. I’m just curious as the bits I’ve watched he’s actually spent quite a bit of time in field and almost seemed better suited to a central position but like I said im very far from an expert on him so curious to know what others think.

 

[Frank Blank]

Exactly. He may turn out to be a world beater but at the same time, we've signed plenty of exciting prospects in the past who have not lived up to (what is in fairness other people's) expectations. It's hard to get too despondent about it.

Bostock being a case in point.

 

[inclineyid]

I’ve never seen MM play but I now expect him to lead us to the CL & Prem in 2028

 

[Nick-TopSpursMan]

Yeah for sure he is still developing and I’m certainly not writing him off as a WF. Fact is nobody knows what he will look like by the time he’s 18/19. I’m just curious as the bits I’ve watched he’s actually spent quite a bit of time in field and almost seemed better suited to a central position but like I said im very far from an expert on him so curious to know what others think.

He is brilliant in central areas and can even play as a false 9 type striker.

I don't think is future position is set yet but even if he played the wide role for us in the future he'd still be able to rotate positionally at times with Maddison and Udogie in a triangle for example.

The wide player does still drift inside at times for us and he'd be able to do this with ease.

 

[Trix]

I’ve only seen bits and pieces of Moore and there is no doubting he looks a phenomenal talent. One that should certainly be nurtured and not overlooked. The one question I have tho is do you think he has the burst of acceleration needed to be dominating WF in the PL? Not saying he doesn’t but from what I’ve seen he looks like a player that given his skill set might end up playing more central. But you would know better on this as like I said i really haven’t seen enough of him to say ether way.

Regardless of that tho considering how little the youth have featured this season I struggle to see him getting minutes next season but if he does that would most certainly be a pleasant surprise.

Well he's an inverted LW so yeah he comes inside a lot onto his right. He's not going to use pace to get to the touchline and cross it, but he's no slouch and his close touch, control and dribbling is incredible. So is his vision and ability to create chances.

 

[ComfortablyNumb]

Well he's an inverted LW so yeah he comes inside a lot onto his right. He's not going to use pace to get to the touchline and cross it, but he's no slouch and his close touch, control and dribbling is incredible. So is his vision and ability to create chances.

If he's a replacement for Son, then he really needs to be a clean striker of the ball with both feet. That's what makes Son special.

 

[SuperSpuds]

Also, when you get a reputation for paying ‘whatever it takes’ you end up like United - fleeced for everyone and paying £85m for Antony. Drawing a line in the sand is about far more than this one transfer fee.

 

[BehindEnemyLines]

I've no real issue with Nusa - the fact is, if we didn't know about it then none of us would care - It's just that talks were leaked which led to everyone getting their expectations up.
In reality, I don't see many clubs spending the money we've spent this January, we've filled the two spots we needed, and anything else is a bonus.

 

[RJR1949]

I think something than needs to be mentioned here as far as a long term successor to Son is concerned is that Mikey Moore likes to play off that left hand side.

I know, I know he's only 16(17 in the Summer) but if we are talking about potential this kid has it and then some. I genuinely think he'll be getting first team minuets next season in some capacity, and If he continues to develop at the rate he has, his ceiling as a player is higher than Nusa's imo.

I’ve seen Mikey Moore play for academy teams and he is an extraordinary talent. Signing a player just 2 years older than him that plays in his position would have been discouraging for him. So I’m not fussed that we’ve missed out on Nusa. There will be other opportunities.

 

[nedley]

Of course. So my question to you is should we buy all the young kids we have tracked like this at inflated values just in case?

No.

Just him will be fine.