Overview
- Reports from multiple outlets say Arsenal have targeted Bayer Leverkusen’s Ibrahim Maza as a long-term option in Martin Odegaard’s role.
- Some reports claim Arsenal and Manchester City lodged initial offers near €40m that Leverkusen turned down, though none of these bids are confirmed by the clubs.
- Valuations vary widely across outlets, with figures cited at about £48m, up to £56m, or around €65m, signaling an unclear price and active negotiations.
- Tottenham, Manchester City, Newcastle, Atlético Madrid and Juventus are also linked, and Arsenal are described as confident, which points to a competitive market that could drive the fee higher.
- Maza, a 20-year-old Algeria international who joined from Hertha Berlin in 2025, has about five goals and five-to-six assists in roughly 39 games this season, and Leverkusen’s preference to keep him and a reported deal to 2030 strengthen their hand unless a much larger formal bid arrives.