Arsenal have been strongly linked with a transfer bid for one of the Bundesliga’s most promising players - what are the chances that he becomes a Gunner?

As is so often the case with the most talented young players who emerge around Europe, Ibrahim Maza is being linked with just about every elite side on the continent. Most of the rumours surrounding him will turn out to be untrue, of course, but it’s hard not to notice that while the names of big clubs are being thrown around like confetti, two teams seem to be mentioned in every single story – and one of them is Arsenal.

The Gunners are a team that keep a tight lid on their scouting and leaks are relatively rare, at least in the early stage of their courtship of potential new signings, but just about every gossip column going seems convinced that they (along with PSG) are extremely interested in Maza, who is beginning to make some waves in the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen.

With the 20-year-old’s future coming under mounting scrutiny, how likely is it that Arsenal snap up one of the most gifted young playmakers in Germany – and when can we expect to find out more about Maza’s next move?

Arsenal seem to want Ibrahim Maza – but they aren’t alone

Pick any transfer reporter, gossipmonger or content aggregator you care to bring to mind and they’ve probably published a story linking Algeria international Maza to Arsenal – the only thing that changes is which other teams get a mention.

Almost every wealthy Premier League sides has been thrown into the stories at some point, but Arsenal have been the only constant, and the links between the Gunners and the young attacking midfielder now go back for several weeks.

The only other team whose interest seems to be more certain is PSG, who – according to French journalist Fabrice Hawkins – have already made contact with Maza’s representatives ahead of a possible move. If Arsenal have taken similar steps, it remains unreported. Either they are maintaining a watching brief for now, or they have kept talks a secret. That’s something that they tend to be quite good at.

Maza, who joined Leverkusen from Hertha Berlin in 2025 for €12m (£10m) quickly established himself as a regular starter at his current club despite his youth, taking over from Florian Wirtz in a number 10 role after Wirtz left for Liverpool. 55 games later, the youngster has eight goals, nine assists, and a rapidly-growing reputation.

The obvious comparison to Wirtz has been made with regularity by the German media and it does bear up under scrutiny, not least in his playing style – like his predecessor, Maza likes to take the ball down and run at defenders, and to play in the half-spaces around the penalty area.

Maza isn’t as productive as Wirtz was just yet, but his dynamism and evident technical quality are still attracting plenty of attention. Arsenal seem to be somewhere close to the front of the queue, but they aren’t Maza’s only admirers. That isn’t the only barrier to a deal.

Will Arsenal sign Ibrahim Maza – or will the rumours prove false?

Another issue facing Arsenal, PSG, or indeed any other prospective suitor is the price. Leverkusen have Maza locked down to a contract which doesn’t expire until 2030, giving them a strong negotiating position.

As such, several reports from Germany suggest that they will likely only sell Maza for a fee of around €70m (£58m). That’s a lot for a player with plenty of potential but a relatively limited track record, and it seems to be a price tag which was put in place to deter bidders rather than a realistic expectation, at least in the immediate future.

PSG appear to have ruled out a January bid, seemingly in part because of the price, despite their need for attacking reinforcements after Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was ruled out for the rest of the season due to a ruptured ACL. Arsenal, who have money to spend but more urgent priorities than a young number 10, are no more likely to spend €70m in January.

That means that Maza isn’t likely to go anywhere until next summer at the earliest, by which time he might have started scoring and creating enough goals to seem worthy of such a major investment – but his future could still be resolved before then.

Sky Sport Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg claims that early negotiations are taking place between Maza and Bayer Leverkusen over a contract extension, and while such negotiations are likely to take some time, the lack of likely bids over the winter means that there is little rush. Maza could be persuaded to commit his future to his current employers in the coming months, which would almost certainly push the question of a transfer at least a year or two into the future.

It’s not uncommon for transfer rumours to start cropping up around contract negotiations as agents throw names around in order to create the illusion of widespread transfer interest in the hope of driving up the size of the eventual pay packet – that could well be what’s happening here.

But the link with Arsenal seems to be a little bit more tangible than that. Several sources believe that they’ve had scouts in Germany to watch the young Algerian in action. They may just be gathering information for now, but Maza seems to be somewhere on their radar, and could end up in their plans for next summer.

If contract negotiations go south or if teams like Arsenal and PSG can show enough interest to persuade Maza to resist Leverkusen’s attempts to tie him down, then he could easily be on the market next summer, and the Gunners seem likely to be among the interested parties. There are a lot of hurdles to clear, but it’s at possible that he ends up at the Emirates in 2027. Given Maza’s obvious potential, it’s an intriguing prospect.