Manchester City renews interest in Maatsen as Bayer Leverkusen sets 70 million euro price tag

Manchester City has made strengthening its midfield one of its primary objectives for the next summer transfer window. In pursuit of this, the team has returned to the candidacy of Ibrahim Maza, who is currently playing for Bayer Leverkusen.

The footballer, of Algerian descent, was born in Germany and trained in the German football system. The 20-year-old creative midfielder caught the attention of City scouts last summer; however, at that time, Bayer Leverkusen outpaced all competitors to secure him for approximately 12 million euros.

Now, Manchester City is intensifying its efforts to sign him once again. Nevertheless, Bayer has no intention of letting their young star go easily and is making negotiations extremely difficult.

According to reports, the German club is demanding approximately 70 million euros for Maza. The fact that Atletico Madrid's previous 35 million euro bid was rejected demonstrates how highly the player is valued.

In his debut season at Bayer, Maza appeared in 38 matches, contributing 5 goals and 6 assists. His standout moment was an assist provided during a Champions League victory against Manchester City.

Recalling that moment, the player noted that the match held special significance for him, which has further piqued City's interest.

For now, the English club is not limiting itself to Maza alone—candidates such as Sandro Tonali, Kenneth Eichhorn, Elliot Anderson, and Mateus Fernandes are also under observation. However, the primary focus remains on Maza.