Aston Villa have taken the lead in the race to sign Sverre Nypan, despite Arsenal’s seemingly ongoing pursuit of the Norwegian youngster.
David Ornstein broke the news for The Athletic on Monday that Aston Villa are working to close a deal to sign Sverre Nypan from Rosenborg.
Ornstein reports that Arsenal and Girona had also been targeting the midfielder in January, but there’s now optimism at Villa Park that the player is enthusiastic about a move.
Personal terms aren’t done, nor is a fee agreed, so the deal is clearly not finished. But Villa are evidently in the lead at this stage.
Norwegian outlet Addressa confirm that Villa are in the driving seat for the player’s signing. Though neither personal terms nor a fee are agreed, they both appear to be close.
The player and his agent reportedly see Villa as a good fit, and the signing could be done this month.
Though links to Arsenal haven’t been nearly as strong since the end of the January transfer window, there were reports just over a fortnight ago that the player remained of interest to the Gunners. As such, it would be a shame to see him going elsewhere.
In January, the expectation was that the 18-year-old was available for £10m plus significant add-ons. Arsenal were willing to pay that, but it was always up to the player to make the final decision.
At the time, Nypan decided to remain with Rosenborg. It looks like that might not be the case this summer.