Arsenal's interest in Ibrahim Maza is gathering attention again, but the landscape around the Bayer Leverkusen attacker is becoming more crowded by the week. According to TeamTalk , Paris Saint-Germain have now entered the conversation, with the French champions weighing up whether to move for the 20-year-old during the January window.
Maza has been on the radar of several top clubs for some time, and the latest update points to a market that could move quickly if circumstances align. PSG's position is particularly relevant because their thinking has been shaped by a significant injury issue, with "Georgian superstar Khvicha Kvaratskhelia facing a season-ending ACL injury." That development has prompted internal checks on attacking reinforcements, and Maza is among the names under consideration.
The Algeria international has continued to build a strong reputation at Leverkusen. TeamTalk reports that he "has established himself as one of the most exciting young attacking talents in German football", a line that reflects the growing admiration around his technical level, creative output and flexibility across the front line.
Arsenal and Tottenham are both said to have been increasing their interest, while Chelsea, Manchester City and Aston Villa remain attentive to his progress. That matters because once a young player reaches this stage of market visibility, clubs tend to monitor not only performances but also contract signals, dressing-room status and the selling club's willingness to engage.
In Maza's case, the message from Germany appears clear. Leverkusen do not want to lose him in the middle of the season. The report states that "Leverkusen are expected to resist any attempt to prise Maza away midway through the campaign" and that the Bundesliga side "have no desire to lose the youngster".
Photo: IMAGO
For Arsenal, PSG's emergence changes the equation. TeamTalk says "PSG's emergence as a potential contender adds a significant new dimension to the situation as the January window approaches." That feels accurate. When a club with PSG's financial power and squad demands starts assessing a profile like this, the market can accelerate quickly, even if the interest is only at an exploratory phase.
It is also important to note that PSG are not yet described as pushing aggressively. Their interest "is understood to be at the consideration stage", which suggests due diligence rather than active negotiation. Even so, that alone can alert other suitors and sharpen decision-making elsewhere.
Arsenal recruitment has often been at its strongest when identifying ascending talent before the field becomes too congested. Maza now looks very much like the sort of player entering that zone, gifted, adaptable and increasingly expensive in strategic terms.
Leverkusen's preferred outcome is not a sale, it is retention. The report adds that they are "ready to offer him a lucrative new contract in an effort to secure his long-term future and fend off interest from elsewhere." If that offer arrives soon, it may become the most important development in the story.
For Arsenal and the rest, January may depend less on desire and more on leverage. Unless Leverkusen soften their stance, this feels like a situation where interest is real, admiration is widespread, but any breakthrough would require either an exceptional proposal or a shift in the player's own position.
This is exactly the type of report that grabs attention because the profile makes so much sense. Young, technical, versatile, upward trajectory, that is a familiar pattern in the sort of player Arsenal tend to watch closely. The line that Maza "has established himself as one of the most exciting young attacking talents in German football" is the one that really stands out. If that assessment is right, it is easy to understand why so many clubs are circling.
The PSG angle adds real intrigue. Once they enter a race, even at a preliminary stage, it changes the temperature around a deal. Arsenal cannot drift in situations like this if the internal belief is strong. The market for high-end young attackers becomes unforgiving very quickly, and hesitation usually comes at a cost.
What makes this especially interesting is Leverkusen's stance. If they are serious about a new deal and are determined to keep him, then January may simply be too early. That does not make the story any less important. It may just mean groundwork now, move later. Arsenal have done enough smart planning in recent years to know that some deals are won months before any bid is made. If Maza keeps progressing, this will not be the last time his name appears around north London.
