Sverre Halseth Nypan: Norway’s Next Star
Football Manager players will smile when they see the name Sverre Halseth Nypan. An all-time great within the video game is the Norwegian, and he has the talent to match that up on the pitch too. The 17-year-old got to showcase that on Monday against Manchester United, as he glided through the midfield of a club that is more than aware of the true talent he possesses.
Nypan joined Rosenborg in 2021 from Nardo and has gone on to make 45 appearances for the first team since, scoring seven goals and contributing eight assists from his midfield role. The Norwegian has versatility in his game that is likely going to ensure he goes all the way to the top, playing further forward at times this season and even starting three games in the centre-forward position. Within those three games, he got two goal contributions, a hugely impressive return for such a young player playing in an unfamiliar role.
Nypan, The Manchester United Connection
During a recent interview, Nypan declared that it would be a dream to join Manchester United in the future, and the player turning 18 in December comes at the perfect time. The club has just signed Leny Yoro to kickstart the new era under the guidance of INEOS, which is expected to go back to the main mantra that made the football club so famous: youth, courage, and success.
In years gone by, United has been a graveyard for talented young players, but the future is beginning to paint it out as a beacon of hope, especially given the recent rise and success of Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho. Nypan is the type of profile Manchester United currently need in the middle of the park. A robust, aggressive midfielder with all the talent of his fellow countryman Martin Odegaard, mixed in with an air of defensive awareness that isn’t usually associated with a talent so young.
The Norwegian’s weight of pass is delicate, his appreciation for the ball is admirable, and his ability to drive at pace with precision is elite. Lamine Yamal’s decision-making for such a young player has been commended in recent months, and rightfully so, but Nypan’s is within the same stratosphere and could be moulded in an even better environment into an unstoppable force if he does get a move to a Champions League side in the coming seasons.
Rosenborg’s 17-year-old Wonderkid:
The wonderkid, who is coincidentally a Manchester United fan, became the youngest player in Rosenborg’s history when he made his debut on November 6th, 2022, at just 15 years and 322 days old. He’s the 7th youngest in the history of the Eliteserien, with Martin Odegaard still the youngest player in the competition’s history, with a record that’s unlikely to ever be touched. Alongside the Rosenberg record, the midfielder was also the youngest player in UEFA Youth League history at 14 years old, 9 months, and 11 days, beating a record held by Youssoufa Moukoko of Borussia Dortmund previously.
With regards to his future, Nypan seems grounded. The United interest flatters him, but it also hasn’t taken away from his true focus at this moment in time, and that’s performing to the highest level with Rosenborg. Looking too far ahead can sometimes take you out of the present moment, and the midfielder, who scored his first professional goal against Bodo Glimt in May 2022 to become the youngest scorer in the club’s history, is under no illusions that he’s made it just yet.
“But I’m quite adamant that I don’t want to open that door yet. I want to focus on Rosenborg, and not think too far ahead.”
The player is in the right hands when it comes to representation, with super agent Rafaela Pimenta currently his agent. Pimenta has overseen some of the biggest moves in football in recent years, famously being a huge factor in Erling Haaland’s move to Manchester City. The Brazilian has spoken in the past about always having her clients best interests at heart, and that’s expected to be no different when it comes to Nypan, especially when the time comes to select his next club. Another young talent of Pimenta’s to keep an eye on is Kevin Zeroli from AC Milan. The 19-year-old is making waves for himself in the Milan U19 and U23 squads, and it’s not likely to be long before he breaks into the first team.
As always, it’s important to keep a level head when assessing the future of young players, and equally as important for those within the media not to drag them down after building them up, also being careful not to put so much pressure on them that they stop doing what made them great. Sverre Halseth Nypan has every attribute needed to become one of the very best players on the planet, but for now, let’s enjoy watching a talent such as his flourish.
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