Full Breakdown
Premier League Clubs Target Bayer Leverkusen’s Algerian Winger Ibrahim Maza
5/1/2026, 2:41:56 PM
Premier League Interest in Ibrahim Maza
Manchester City, Chelsea and Aston Villa are monitoring Bayer Leverkusen’s 20-year-old Algerian winger Ibrahim Maza, who joined from Hertha Berlin for a reported €12 million in the summer of 2023. In the 2024-25 season Maza made 41 appearances across all competitions, scoring five goals and providing six assists, including three goals and four assists in the Bundesliga. His versatility – able to operate as a central midfielder, attacking midfielder or wide forward – and solid expected-goals and expected-assists metrics have drawn attention from other Premier League clubs, notably Brighton, Brentford and Bournemouth.
Key Stakeholders
The principal figures are Ibrahim Maza, Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso – who signed the player and has publicly praised his qualities – and the interested English clubs. Manchester City, the reigning Premier League champions, view Maza as a potential long-term midfield solution. Chelsea, while evaluating managerial candidates including Alonso, aligns its pursuit with a strategy to acquire elite young talent. Aston Villa seeks depth for a squad targeting European competition. Leverkusen teammate Christian Kofane, a 19-year-old striker, is also linked with interest from Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City.
Performance Data
Across all competitions Maza recorded 41 appearances, five goals and six assists; in the Bundesliga he added three goals and four assists, while analytics show high expected-goals and expected-assists values.
Official Statements & Responses
No club has issued a formal statement, but sources describe the interested parties as “keeping a close watch” on Maza. Manchester City’s scouting network reportedly regards him as a “long-term midfield option.” Chelsea’s pursuit is said to fit its “elite young talent” policy, a narrative reinforced by reports linking the club’s potential new manager Xabi Alonso to the player. Aston Villa’s monitoring is framed as part of a broader plan to assemble a squad capable of competing in domestic and European competitions.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Statistical accounts differ slightly: one source lists five goals and six assists across all competitions, while another records three goals and three assists in the Bundesliga season. No independent verification of the figures or of any concrete transfer-fee expectations has been published.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I talked to him.” — Xabi Alonso, Bayer Leverkusen manager
- “He's a player with different qualities.” — Xabi Alonso
- “Good between the lines with good potential.” — Xabi Alonso
- “I talked to him. He's a player with different qualities. Good between the lines with good potential. He has many things to develop, but we always think that our club is good for players young players who have that will to improve. And he has a good personality, he's young but mature. So he's a very good signing and we're happy that he's with us.” — Xabi Alonso
What’s Next
The 2026 summer transfer window will decide whether any Premier League side secures Maza’s signature. Simultaneously, Chelsea’s pending managerial appointment could shape its transfer approach, with Alonso’s endorsement potentially influencing the club’s decision if he assumes the role.
