Antonio Nusa's ideal next destination is obvious as Brentford, Spurs and Chelsea battle for his signature

There are few brighter prospects in European football than 18-year-old Norway star Antonio Nusa – which is why it seemed like Brentford were on the cusp of a major coup when it was revealed that he had agreed personal terms on a €30m (£25.6m) move from Club Brugge. But now that move seems to have stalled – and that could allow Tottenham Hotspur or Chelsea to swoop in and steal Nusa from under Thomas Frank’s nose.

The deal, which would have seen the winger remain at Brugge for the rest of the season on loan, has reportedly been placed on ice as a result of issues that were picked up in his medical. The nature of the problem rightly remains private, but could lead to Nusa remaining in Belgium for a little while longer if it scares off Brentford’s rivals for the signing. But if they aren’t so concerning as to prevent a move from taking place at all, then this could be a gamble another team are willing to take.

Nusa is a colossal talent, with all the hallmarks of a star in the making. He’s lightning fast, brilliant and confident with the ball at his feet, has a silky first touch and the knack of finding space down the flanks to get on the end of passes. He adds an extra dimension to his team whenever he plays, giving them a direct attacking outlet who generates truckloads of chances.

► Full scouting report on Antonio Nusa

He typically plays on the left of a front three, although he has occasionally played through the middle as well, and suits any team who want to get the ball forward and wide as quickly and effectively as possible. He’s also a willing member of a high pressing unit, and his speed allows him to pressurise defenders the moment they get the ball.

There are some rough edges to sand off, as you would expect from an 18-year-old, and while he gets in an incredible number of dangerous positions, he still needs to develop his decision-making as he too often passes when he should shoot and vice versa. For all that he terrifies defences, his return of four goals and three assists in 28 Belgian Pro League games suggests the need to make the right call a little more often.

But where should he do that development? Regardless of whether Brentford decide to forge ahead with a deal which would represent the most expensive transfer in the club’s history, we’ve looked at them and the two other teams most frequently linked with a bid – Spurs and Chelsea – to see how he would fit and what he could offer.

Brentford

If they do decide to take the plunge regardless of whatever concerns were thrown up at his medical, Nusa would almost certainly be an immediate starter at the Brentford Community Stadium – either as a forward as part of a front two, perhaps alongside Bryan Mbeumo or as part of a return to a three-man attack, which would likely suit Nusa better.

Either way, he would give them an outlet for quick forward passes that exceeds anything they have right now and would fit neatly into Frank’s pressing system, so while Brentford don’t currently play with two inside forwards, which would likely be best for Nusa, it’s not a stretch to imagine him fitting in neatly even if they don’t revert to a triple-pronged attacking formation next season.

The question for Brentford is whether they can afford to invest so much in a player who might take a season or two to get his decision making to a point where he scores regularly. It would also be unreasonable to expect him to take the number nine role and replicate Ivan Toney’s attacking output from the outset, assuming Toney leaves in the next transfer window. Brentford’s form has dipped alarmingly in recent weeks, and they can’t afford to gamble their future Premier League status on Nusa scoring 10 or 15 goals per season.

If Toney stays, Nusa looks perfect for Brentford, and they look ideal for his development as he will get the minutes he wants and needs. If, however, Toney should leave, then Nusa should not be viewed as a replacement, but as a complement to a different central striker going forward. Assuming Nusa can fit into the system, however, he would likely be the most naturally gifted player the club has ever had, and would be a huge asset for several years to come.

Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs do play with a three-man attack and Ange Postecoglou’s tactics look like they should fit Nusa perfectly. They too want to press high and hard, and want their wide forwards to get up to the last man and stretch the opposing defence when in possession. There is no mystery behind Spurs’ interest in him – he looks ready-made for them.

There had been reports from Sky Sports that Nusa had turned them down in order to make the move to Brentford happen, while Football London’s Spurs correspondent Alsadair Gold suggested that he did so because he didn’t feel that he would get the gametime he wanted at Spurs – and it’s certainly true that he would struggle to displace players like Richarlison and Son Heung-Min, who have much more experience and make the right plays far more often.

The question then is whether they could persuade him that he would get enough games under his belt at Spurs to persuade him to join – and even if he wasn’t a regular starter, his electric pace and dribbling would make him a nightmarish ‘super sub’ for opposing defences to deal with. Nusa could well become exactly the player Spurs want to keep their future looking rosy, so if there’s a chance that they could resurrect their own deal for him, then it’s likely a gamble worth taking, especially given that they have the money to spare.

Chelsea

You know the story – a shiny young wide forward simply exists, and Chelsea just have to have him. The concerns that exist with Spurs would certainly ring true if he went to Stamford Bridge, too, although Chelsea have given plenty of minutes to young players this season and don’t seem shy about bringing the next generation on. Nusa would, at the very least, get his chance to shine at some stage.

Chelsea’s profit and sustainability situation could render at £25m layout impossible unless they sell a player before the deadline, but there remains a chance that they could move Conor Gallagher on to Spurs, which would provide the necessary funds. Whether they would make the move is another matter – Chelsea have been linked with Nusa on a regular basis for the past year or so, but no concrete offer has been made as far as we are aware.

Tactically, there’s no inherent reason that Nusa shouldn’t shine at Chelsea, given that they too play with an aggressive front three, although they do often ask their wide forwards to look to pick the ball up slightly deeper than Spurs, which may not suit Nusa’s knack for creating room off the shoulder of the last man so well. Still, it’s easy to imagine Nusa doing very well under Mauricio Pochettino, but less easy to make a case for them over Spurs when the concerns are so similar.

So, if you were to put yourself in his shoes, you could make a case for Nusa going to Brentford or Spurs and getting the development he needed. He would get the most gametime at Brentford but would get his chances at Spurs, and it’s hard to make a strong case against his joining Postecoglou’s side if they wind up as the only option.