The secret is out on Maza.
What started as a smart, low‑key move by Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2025 has turned into one of the most closely watched transfer stories in Europe. The 20-year-old Algerian arrived from Hertha BSC as a promising talent; he has quickly become a prized asset who now has some of the continent’s biggest clubs jostling for position.
Europe’s elite form an orderly queue
Arsenal and Manchester United were the first Premier League sides heavily linked with him, their scouts clocking up the miles to the BayArena and back as his influence on Leverkusen’s attack grew. Both clubs want exactly what he offers: a player who sees passes others don’t, who can prise open low blocks and change the rhythm of a game in one movement.
Now the competition has thickened. Manchester City and Atletico Madrid have stepped into the race, maintaining regular contact with the player’s camp to stay updated on any opening. No one wants to be late to this party. Not with a profile like his.
Leverkusen, though, hold all the cards.
Leverkusen’s jewel, locked down
The German champions know precisely what they have. Maza is not a breakout surprise anymore; he is a central piece in a side that expects to compete deep into every competition. His contract runs until June 2030, a long-term deal that gives Leverkusen enormous leverage and removes any sense of urgency to sell.
That security has allowed the Werkself to set their terms without blinking. According to Fussball News, the club have placed a price tag of up to €70 million on the midfielder. For a 20-year-old, it is a statement as much as a valuation: if you want him, you pay for both the player he is now and the one he is likely to become.
The figure has not scared off his admirers in England. If anything, it underlines why they are so keen to move early.
A playmaker built for modern football
Maza’s appeal lies in his blend of imagination and elasticity. Coaches love players who solve problems in different zones of the pitch, and he does exactly that.
His most natural habitat is the number ten role, operating between the lines, receiving on the half-turn and sliding passes into the channels. But he has also shown he can drop deeper as a central midfielder, helping to build play, or drift wide to overload the flanks and drag defenders out of shape.
That versatility gives managers options. It also makes him harder to pin down for opponents. One week he is the classic creator behind the striker; the next he is linking play from midfield or popping up on the wing to isolate a full-back.
Analysts are just as enamoured. His acceleration over short distances allows him to separate from markers, while his flair on the ball means he can beat a man rather than simply pass around him. Combine that with sharp vision and you have a player who threatens both with the ball at his feet and with the timing of his final pass.
He has already taken that toolkit onto the international stage. With 21 caps and two goals for Algeria, he has shown he can handle the demands and spotlight of representing his country long before most players his age have even settled at club level.
The lure – and the risk – of a big move
All of this has created a clear crossroads in his career. The Premier League’s pull is enormous: global profile, financial muscle, the chance to test himself weekly against some of the world’s best. Arsenal, United, City, Atletico – these are not just clubs, they are projects with defined identities and expectations.
But the temptation comes with a warning. A move at 20 to a superclub can supercharge a career or stall it on the bench. For a player still sharpening his game, minutes matter more than marketing.
That is the calculation now in front of him. Leverkusen can offer continuity, a system that already suits his technical strengths, and regular starts in a side that trusts him. Any move away from the Bundesliga would need more than a big fee and a famous badge; it would need a clear pathway into the starting XI and a role that matches the way he plays.
The race for Maza is heating up, and the money will follow. The real question is not who bids highest, but which club can convince him they are the place where his rise doesn’t just continue – it explodes.
