The transfer window may be shut, but Europe's heavyweights never stop tracking the game's brightest young talents. And while they watch, the clubs who already have these players are racing to tie them down on the best terms possible.
That's exactly the situation now, with German newspaper "Bild" revealing that Ibrahim Maza's standout form has pushed Leverkusen to move fast on a new deal for their 20-year-old. Manchester City and Barcelona are both watching him closely.
Paris Saint-Germain had already surfaced as suitors at the start of November. The links prompted Maza to open up about his own ambitions of playing for one of Europe's giants.
Maza, capped 23 times by the senior Algeria side, told "RTL" and "Sky Sport Germany": "Of course, it would be a big dream for me to play one day for a prestigious club like Paris Saint-Germain, as it is one of the best clubs in the world, on the level of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Arsenal."
"Playing for a club of this size is a goal I am seeking to achieve, like many other footballers," he added.
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Those comments appear to have lit a fire under Leverkusen's hierarchy. According to "Bild", several rounds of talks have left Maza close to extending his deal with the German club until 2031, a year beyond its current 2030 expiry.
Leverkusen have put a written offer on the table that bumps Maza into the club's top salary bracket, lifting his annual wage from 2.5 million euros to 4 million euros, with a further total bonus of 4 million euros on top.
Crucial to the breakthrough is Maza's willingness to sign without a fixed release clause, meaning no predetermined fee can prise him away.
It's a move that closely echoes the approach Leverkusen took with Florian Wirtz, the player Maza is now being compared to, before his 140 million euro switch to Liverpool two years ago.
Club officials reckon Maza carries the same kind of ceiling, one that could push his market value towards 100 million euros in the near future.
Maza joined Leverkusen from second-division rivals Hertha Berlin in 2025 in a 12 million euro deal.
His swift rise earned him a spot in the starting line-up, and he quickly became one of the team's key men. Four goals and four assists in 14 appearances this season tell the story.
By handing him fresh terms, Leverkusen want to lock down his future and guard against losing him should any of the interested clubs make their move.
Barcelona's interest is real, and Maza name-checked the Catalans among his dream destinations. But the Spanish side are hardly short in midfield right now. If anything, their current squad gives them an abundance of options in that area.
