Maza's European Tug of War: Arsenal, Manchester United, and More
The chase for Maza is starting to look like a full‑blown European tug of war.
Arsenal and Manchester United have been tracking the Bayer Leverkusen playmaker the longest, but the field is getting crowded. Manchester City and Atletico Madrid have now joined the hunt, with both clubs reported to be in regular contact with the 20-year-old’s camp to stay updated on any change in his situation.
Leverkusen’s recruitment team knew they had something when they brought Maza in from Hertha BSC in the summer of 2025. It has turned out to be a coup. Since arriving at the BayArena, the Algerian international has surged from promising youngster to one of the most talked-about attacking midfielders of his age group in Europe.
Leverkusen, newly crowned German champions, are in no rush to sell. Maza is locked into a long-term deal until June 2030, a contract that hands the Werkself enormous leverage. Any club wanting to prise him away will have to pay for both what he is now and what he could become.
According to Fussball News, Leverkusen have set a huge asking price. The German side are understood to be ready to demand up to €70m, a figure that underlines their valuation of his current impact and his future ceiling.
That number has not scared off the Premier League. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and the recruitment hierarchy at Old Trafford are scouring the market for a player who can add imagination and incision in the final third. On paper, Maza is almost tailor-made for that brief: a creative spark who can unpick packed defences and change the rhythm of a game with one pass or burst of acceleration.
His versatility only sharpens the appeal. Maza is at his most natural in the number ten role, drifting between the lines and linking midfield with attack. But he has also shown he can drop deeper as a central midfielder or slide out towards the flanks, giving coaches tactical flexibility and options during games.
Analysts are just as enamoured with the numbers and the raw tools. Maza combines sharp acceleration with flair on the ball, and when that is fused with his vision, he becomes a constant danger between the lines. His rise has already carried him onto the international stage with Algeria, where he has collected 21 caps and scored two goals. That exposure has shown he can cope with the pressure of representing his country at a young age.
All of that explains why Europe’s elite are circling. It does not answer the question that matters most to the player: what comes next?
The pull of the Premier League is obvious. Bigger spotlight, bigger wages, bigger stage. But for a 20-year-old still climbing, the risk of disappearing into a star-studded bench is just as real. Regular minutes will shape his development far more than a glamorous move on paper.
If Maza does decide to leave the Bundesliga, the choice of destination will define the next phase of his career. He will need more than a badge and a promise; he will need a clear route into the starting XI and a project that fits his technical, creative style.
With his contract secure and his stock rising, the next move is his to judge. Will he chase the Premier League dream now, or keep growing in Leverkusen’s colours before taking that leap?
