Sebastian Nanasi and the Ethos of Dexterity
A Scout Report on Allsvenskan's record signing now under Chelsea's development umbrella
After breaking Allsvenskan’s transfer record by making an 11 million move to RC Strasbourg, Sebastian Nanasi had a thunderous arrival at Ligue 1. Five goal contributions in five starts constituted as perfect a September as imaginable, topped off by scoring twice for a Swedish National Team spearheaded by Dejan Kulusevski, Victor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak. By the standards he set for himself throughout 2024, the following period until February was the first obstacle to a near-perfect transition into the top five European leagues for the Swede.
This scout report offers a guide on the player profile of an already highly rated 22-year-old. Currently valued at 15 million on Transfermarkt, how does a scout/analyst begin to measure his development path and ceiling? While Nanasi’s inherent strengths are realized and replicable at the highest level, there are certain traits he will need to develop to stay there.
Preliminary
The open-endedness of the Role “Wide Playmaker” on his player card above considers that Nanasi walks on the borderline of midfield and attack. A recurring obstacle when envisioning his potential is that he is almost too tailor-made for playing LM in a possession-based 4-4-2 system. Despite being highly flexible with his actions on the ball, he’s relatively inflexible in output when playing out of his comfort zone.
Nanasi has the attacking (goal-creating and scoring) attributes of a modern winger but starts 10 yards deeper than the typical winger while possessing the pace of an attacking midfielder. On the other hand, his work rate, off-the-ball accelerations and defensive output are below average for a midfielder.
As a result, at his worst, he risks being seen as a luxury player to Liam Rosenoir who’s found success with defensive pragmatism as Strasbourg look to extend their unbeaten run in a fight for a European spot. This obstacle is reasonably manageable given Nanasi’s range and impact on the pitch. Yet, he must adapt to a hybrid number 10 role before being viable as an exclusively left-sided attacker.
Range and Impact
When studying his clips, I find myself returning to the feeling that Nanasi uses his right foot like the most left-footed ball carrier ever. From how he positions his body on the first touch to his centre of gravity while carrying the ball, to his tendency to telegraph that he’s cutting inside… followed by successfully cutting inside anyway! Nanasi plays the game at his tempo, and it’s usually the tempo required at the time. This is due to his primary technical trait of being able to beat a man by using angles to find free space.
Nanasi adopts a “Dexterity”-based approach to the game. Instead of relying on his primary technical trait, he uses it to set up an extensive range of actions. In most of his on-ball actions, Nanasi acts as a bridge between ball progression and chance creation. The ease with which he gains space for his team is noteworthy. Consider the following sequences encapsulating how Nanasi can influence massive portions of the pitch from relatively deeper starting positions, isn’t afraid to traverse half-spaces, and steers the play into the opposition box.
The sequence above captures key elements of Nanasi’s bread and butter. Striking is how often his dribbles lead to a meaningful pass, like finishing a thought. He reliably gains 15-20 yards for his team using his ball-carrying and follows up with a one-two in the box. Nanasi’s mechanical understanding of space and angles on the ball, when and where to accelerate, combined with the discipline to pass at the right time, permits him to create a high-value chance for his team from scratch.
A useful metaphor to understanding Nanasi’s dexterity-based approach is to imagine a snowball rolling down a hill. Note that the snowball here is his team’s possession, and his participation in it facilitates the snowball catching momentum, leading to high-value chances. Consider the following sequence where, by engaging in several simple single actions, Nanasi’s positioning dictated play in a transition situation.
Constant scanning and movement between the lines led to unlocking the opponent’s defence in this sequence. Nanasi’s first instinct in such situations is to facilitate the involvement of more players in his team’s possession chains, which speaks to his selflessness. Instead of overly trying to grab the game by the scruff of the neck, he prefers to scan for the current state of play and make the action that methodically improves his team’s possession.
Nanasi’s tendency to consolidate possession, followed by responsibly raising the tempo, makes him a potent threat in transitions as a key player expediting defence to attack for his team. This is a significant theme in his best actions at RC Strasbourg this season.
In this sequence, it’s easy to understate the importance of Nanasi’s touches, combined with the weight of his pass. In ten seconds, he (rather effortlessly) facilitates a counterattack from the edge of his team’s box to the back of his opponent’s net. Note that you wouldn’t associate this sequence with explosive pace on the break, but with precise, simple actions at the right time.
A common facet of the dexterity-based approach is versatility in actions across all aspects of play. And while ball-carrying is a prominent aspect of Nanasi’s profile, he has a passing range in his arsenal that breaks lines and finds hidden free spaces between them.
In addition to his weight of pass, which informs the receiver exactly where to run and what to do, Nanasi exhibits a vision (in the second sequence above) that can take every opposition player out of play. Wyscout categorises these as “Smart Passes.” Nanasi boasts a Smart Pass Accuracy of 57% this season, which is excellent. For context, Florian Wirtz has a Smart Pass Accuracy of 52% this season (Both players attempt approximately one a game).
Before engaging in any action, Nanasi scans the pitch multiple times. Often with his back to the touchline, granting him a 180-degree vision of the pitch, he likes to watch the game before participating. This is reflected in his off-ball positioning and can be tangibly seen through his ability to find free spaces in the opposition box.
The sequences above highlight the consistency of Nanasi’s dexterity-based approach in the penalty area. A significant aspect of Nanasi’s goal-scoring repertoire involves late runs into the box. In the first two sequences, A combination of his scanning of play on the right wing and timing his acceleration into the box are integral factors that underline his efficiency in front of goal.
The final sequence applies his movement between the lines to a low block and showcases his ability to find the far post (a trait where he shows talent but has room to improve). Over the past calendar year, Nanasi ranks in the top echelon of the 99th percentile for Non-Penalty Expected Goals per Shot (0.25) and Average Shot Distance (11.3 yards) compared to Wingers/Attacking Midfielders in the top five leagues in Europe (all comps).
While Nanasi has faced challenges this season as he settles into Ligue 1, it’s worth mentioning that he’s been able to showcase his core strengths and identity seamlessly despite the step up from Malmo FF to RC Strasbourg. Consider the following corners taken.
Nanasi’s technique for out-swinging corners showcases his viability in set pieces, adding another dimension to his attacking threat. With a well-defined dexterity-based profile, his strengths will hold up at the highest level under favourable conditions (like building a team around him). Understanding his weaknesses and identifying development areas would reduce the need for these favourable conditions.
Obstacles
Consider the following chart that compares Nanasi’s output to Wingers and Attacking Midfielders in the top five leagues in Europe. It is clear that Nanasi is inclined to engage in precise actions over more actions, but the contrast between his above-par output and below-par output must be bridged. In other words, I believe he needs to be more active on the pitch to avoid dips in form and reach his next development milestone.
A prudent way to understand the limitations of Nanasi’s current level is to investigate why his goal contributions have waned since November. The answer is multi-fold. First, Nanasi’s output is heavily tilted towards precision over volume. This means that though he’s outstanding at metrics like Goal-Creating Actions (GCA) via Live-Ball Pass and Shot Efficiency, his attempts for these (GCA Live-Ball Pass, Shots-per-90) are below par even after appreciating his inherent dexterity-based style. Moreover, Nanasi falls into the 21st percentile for touches per 90, which indicates that he tends to have periods in the match where he can go missing.
Second, he suffers from a versatility paradox in that though he’s versatile, he’s at his best as a specialist operating from LM in a 4-4-2. This creates a squad selection dilemma for Liam Rosenoir who would rather play his explosive wing-backs in that zone. After an experimental period in which he dabbled with different back-four setups, Rosenoir seems to have found his system of choice in a 3-4-2-1. Since the start of the new year, Strasbourg have recently hit an outstandingly rich vein of form and are currently four points off the top four.
From Nanasi’s perspective, Rosenoir went from granting him a free-roaming role at the beginning of the season to a Swiss army knife-type role fulfilling specific tasks in an ever-changing shape, to a combination of both. As a result, Nanasi now starts 5-10 yards further forward than his ideal zone. This makes it more difficult for him to make late runs from deep positions, resulting in a reduced output inside the box. I work with players who employ deep runs as their primary offensive weapon and can attest to the difference that 5-10 yards of a starting position can make.
To be clear, Nanasi has played an important role in this 3-4-2-1 since the start of 2025. He starts when fit, creates space for his teammates and is highly rated by the manager.
Moreover, it’s worth considering that Nanasi has been on an Allsvneskan fitness cycle that conducts its seasons from late March to November. In other words, he has been playing week in, week out through the summer and may not have been at one hundred per cent in December and January (the most notable period for his dip in form). Yet, the need for a resurgence in his tangible goal contributions must be seized proactively.
In his current situation, Nanasi will need to adapt to a more central (number 10-esque from the left) role for the near future. To maintain a linear growth trajectory, those in his inner circle (and Nanasi!) should monitor the following players as points of reference to his development over the next five seasons.
LAM as a number 10
The statistical footprint of a player serves as an anatomical blueprint of their essence on the pitch. It helps discover hidden characteristics, diagnose problems, and preview trends that reveal how they might grow. Identifying players with a similar footprint to Nanasi this season is a reliable way to measure where he stands, note their differences and see how he can incorporate certain traits into his profile. Consider the following Player Comparison Preliminary using Understat’s open-source tool.
The preliminary above shows increasing similarity and suggests a broad outline of a development track for Nanasi going left to right. Note that despite their similarities to him on Understat’s ball-playing-centric metrics, each of the above players is spatially flexible and has uniquely positive traits that Nanasi can emulate.
Hakon Haraldsson, now into his second season for LOSC Lille in Ligue 1, stands out in key passes (1.85) per 90. Jae-Sung Lee, in Mainz 05’s immaculate campaign this season, has a higher work rate and stands out in defensive metrics. He falls into the 98th percentile for Interceptions per 90 (1.18) (Nanasi lies in the 29th percentile here). Morgan Rogers at Aston Villa matches Nanasi’s precision in goal-contributing metrics while showcasing a certain degree of graft and directness in what is arguably the most physically challenging league in the world.
There are obvious caveats to these comparisons such as limited metrics, Jae-Sung Lee's age profile, Lee and Rogers' left-footedness, and Rogers's (189cm tall) physicality. The players here possess a different operating system than Nanasi and represent a snapshot of a singular season. However, their inherent differences reveal actionable insights relevant to Nanasi’s future viability as he aims to make a better mark at the top level.
Most notably, the above players are spatially flexible and routinely alternate between playing on the flank and the CAM zone. While Nanasi already shows competence in this role, he’d likely still tell you that operating from a LM zone brings the best out of him. He’ll need to adapt to this for a period, before growing into a modern, dexterity-based LW in what would be an amicable final product for all parties.
Exclusive LW Viability
Mapping Nanasi’s development two to five seasons from now would involve going beyond current statistical footprints and looking for players with a similar dexterity-based operating system that are further ahead in their development. Consider Cody Gakpo’s journey from his first two seasons at Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp to his current role under Arne Slot.
Gakpo isn’t necessarily the fastest among top wingers, but he takes an intelligence-first approach to the position. He has an excellent dribbling-to-passing balance, shows discipline by being a cog in possession chains when needed and scores goals using scanning and late runs. During a transitional period with new faces and changes to the team’s playing style, Klopp preferred to use Gakpo’s dexterity in central spaces. As the squad evolved, Slot was adamant that LW would bring the best out of him, leading to a bit of a marquee season for the Dutchman.
Studying his latter seasons at PSV Eindhoven could be a helpful blueprint for Nanasi moving forward. Gakpo took corners at PSV and had an outstanding goal-to-assist ratio, showing a versatile output across all phases of play. Consider the following radar that compares Nanasi’s career output to Gakpo’s at PSV.
Gakpo’s goal-to-assist ratio at PSV is an excellent example for Nanasi to follow in his first three seasons at Strasbourg. Additionally, as introduced in the player comparison preliminary, he could be more active with line-breaking, and shot-creating passes - an area where he’s proficient but not active enough. In the long run, this would yield higher assist numbers emulating Gakpo’s symmetrical goal-to-assist ratio.
Furthermore, a prominent trait that makes Gakpo’s profile viable as a modern winger is the quality of his shooting. The sheer power of his shot combined with finding the near-post, in particular, makes him stand out. If Nanasi can invest in honing his technical shooting repertoire, his viability at the top level would be undeniable. Being slightly more direct by increasing the volume of his shots per 90 is the first step in the right direction.
Final Thoughts
This scout report attempted to speculate future trends while holding Sebastian Nanasi to a high standard. In his comfort zone - with a team built around him - he’s in many ways a complete player. Despite the drop in tangible goal contributions, he’s been a valuable asset for this Strasbourg side.
However, the margin for error in this economy for wide attackers in football is slim. Goals and Assists from the wing are simply an essential requirement. A dip in these metrics tends to define the player’s market value. As a result, proactivity in his actions (volume, work rate) would ensure Nanasi is best prepared for dips in form and factors out of his control.
With rose-tinted glasses, one could claim that Nanasi currently exhibits Swedish politeness akin to Alexander Isak’s formative seasons at Real Sociedad. Grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck while maintaining his dexterity would equip him for the next level.