Aston Villa closing in on Rosenborg midfielder Sverre Nypan

Aston Villa are reportedly closing in on the signing of Rosenborg midfielder Sverre Nypan.

The Villans are nearing an agreement on personal terms for 18-year-old Nypan, with negotiations with Rosenborg to follow regarding the transfer fee.

Nypan has represented Norway at various youth levels and the Norwegian is the youngest player to have ever made a senior appearance for Rosenborg.

Villa look primed to beat a number of other interested parties to Nypan's signature, with Premier League rivals Arsenal and Manchester City having reportedly also tracked the Norwegian for some time.

Lars Sivertsen, a Norwegian football writer and broadcaster based in London, spoke to The Athletic about one of his country's brightest young talents:

He's a fairly typical modern attacking midfielder, who has played mostly as a number eight in a 4-3-3, and who is very good at finding spaces.

Although Nypan is considered an all-round midfielder capable of taking up positions all across the pitch, he has already demonstrated his ability to contribute goals and assists.

In the 2024 Eliteserien campaign, Nypan recorded an impressive eight goals and seven assists from midfield as Rosenborg ended up in fourth place in the table.

The emergence of Nypan in Norway has drawn natural comparisons with Martin Odegaard, who also burst onto the scene at a young age in the Eliteserien with Stromsgodset.

Although Nypan shares Odegaard's precocious talent, the pair are different players with the Arsenal captain arguably at his most effective in a number 10 position.

"He's maybe not as spectacular as Odegaard was when he was young, but he's a very impressive player all the same," Sivertsen told The Athletic.

The potential signing of Nypan perhaps indicates that Aston Villa boss Unai Emery is keen to add some youthful freshness to a squad which has the eighth highest average age in the Premier League this season of 26.5.

With Villa in contention to compete in European football again next year, the acquisition of Nypan can also add some much needed depth to the squad.

The Norwegian would add to an already talent-laden crop of central midfielders at Villa Park including Boubacar Kamara, Amadou Onana, Youri Tielemans, John McGinn and Ross Barkley.

James Wilson

• Aston Villa F.C.
• Premier League
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