Aston Villa are pushing to sign Norwegian wonderkid Sverre Halseth Nypan from Rosenborg ahead of Arsenal and Manchester City, The Times reports.
The 18-year-old midfielder is a hot commodity. He’s one of the most sought-after talents ahead of the summer transfer window.
Nypan announced himself to the rest of the continent with a breakthrough campaign in the 2023/24 season.
He bagged eight goals and 10 assists in 33 games across all competitions. He also created seven big chances and averaged 1.4 key passes per 90 minutes.
Those are outstanding numbers for an 18-year-old. Throw in his 57% success rate in ground duels, and he’s fast developing into an all-round midfielder.
Nypan is widely considered one of the best young midfielders in Europe. Naturally, he has been tipped for a Premier League move, and he’s not short on admirers.
Villa, Arsenal, and Man City are hot on his trail, but it appears the Lions have moved ahead of their Premier League rivals in the pecking order.
Nypan has been likened to his countryman Martin Odegaard, although he’s still waiting for his first call-up to the national team.
On paper, that gives Arsenal the upper hand. But Villa aren’t bothered by those sentiments. They’re making a serious push to sign the youngster.
Sporting director Monchi travelled to Norway on Monday to watch Nypan in action during Rosenborg’s 2-0 win against Valerenga.
There’s still plenty of work to be done before a deal can be finalised. But it’s clear Villa are in the driving seat.
They’ve also made a strong impression on both the player and his camp.
Back in January, Arsenal were concerned that Nypan may be heading to Girona as a stepping stone to Man City.
Nypan’s father, Arne, visited Birmingham, London, and Manchester with his son earlier this year.
Despite the high-profile interest, they decided he should remain at Rosenborg until the summer.
Nypan’s father said his meeting with Villa was informal and shut down rumours about any transfer negotiations.
That hasn’t deterred Villa, and if they make it to the Champions League, they could take things up a notch this summer.
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