That path could have gone in multiple different directions already, despite Nusa being just 19-years-old. Last January, a deal for Brentford to sign the rising star from Club Brugge collapsed at the last minute over the club’s concerns about his medical.
Eight months later, after proving his fitness and quality once again, RB Leipzig moved to sign the dazzling footballer. And Nusa hasn’t looked back.
“In football, you need to experience these things to see how it is and then you’re able to handle it,” Nusa told GIVEMESPORT in a roundtable interview from RB Leipzig’s training facility on Friday. “I feel like I handled it well, maybe grew even more from it. I’m very happy where I am now, so I cannot complain.”
Reflecting back on those whirlwind few days last January, Nusa admitted it wasn’t an easy period. He is grateful for his family and friends, who he leaned on for support to help him through.
“For a young player, I was 18 at that time, it was of course difficult,” Nusa added. “It’s heavy on the mind.”
Brentford struck a deal to sign Nusa before the close of the January transfer window, with the winger choosing the English side over several other top clubs chasing his signature. Everything was set… until it wasn’t.
The deal collapsed at the last minute. Concerns over Musa’s medical cast the transfer in doubt and ultimately sunk the deal. Brentford pulled out and now fans were worried there might be injury problems for the player.
Though it was a negative situation, and potential scare for him about his fitness, it worked out. He is enjoying life with Leipzig and is thrilled about his future at the club.
Leipzig had no concerns over the medical, ditto for the Norwegian national team.
“My main priority was my fitness and to figure out the problem,” Nusa said. “In the end, there was no problem and I was good. That was my main concern.”
Solid first season
Nusa scored in his first two Leipzig matches in August, first in the DFB Pokal and then his Bundesliga debut, the lone goal in a 1-0 win over Bochum.
It’s been a solid debut season in Germany for the 19-year-old, with five goals and six assists in 2,068 minutes across all competitions.
“It’s been quite easy (to adapt), I think,” Nusa said. “You have great people, it’s a very easygoing group here in Leipzig. Even though it’s a step up, I’ve had great help off the field to be happy where I’m at.”
Nusa typically plays on the left wing, but has had to play both flanks as well as centrally for Leipzig this season.
“I’ve played different positions with the injury problems we had in the squad in the first part of the season, I had to adapt,” Nusa said. “It was new from me and it was good.”
Nusa’s timeline to return
Nusa has played 36 matches so far this season, starting with a few games in Belgium before his transfer to Germany, including six international matches with Norway. The winger suffered a knee injury about a month ago that he is still recovering from.
“I’m definitely closer to getting back, I’ve been working good the past few weeks,” Nusa said. “I feel good at the moment, starting to progress quite well in rehab. Hopefully (I’ll be back) soon, I can’t put a timeline on it because I can’t be 100% certain. Hopefully it comes fast, but you don’t want to rush anything and have setbacks.”
Nusa will miss Leipzig’s crucial match against Borussia Dortmund this weekend. Both clubs are fighting to get to the Champions League spots, with both chasing the top four. Leipzig are three points off while Dortmund are seven. Both desperately need three points to push for Europe’s premier competition in 2025-26.
“It doesn’t feel good, to be honest,” Nusa said. “To watch the games from the stands? I don’t like that. You just want to help the team. Hopefully it’ll be a good game, hopefully we’ll win and I’ll be happy. I have not enjoyed watching games from the stands, but it is what it is.”
