Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's injury opens the door, but obstacles stand before the deal: will Paris Saint-Germain bring together Hakimi and Maza?
Paris Saint-Germain's plans for the winter transfer window are beginning to take shape. The lengthy absence of Georgian star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, has pushed the French club to search for a replacement.
Luis Enrique may not have signing a new player at the top of his January priorities, but reports from Germany suggest the Champions League holders have shown serious interest in young Algerian Ibrahim Maza. The Bayer Leverkusen man could hand the team another option to cover for the Georgian.
Maza's camp aware of Paris's interest
Enrique left the door open to a new signing, even while insisting that injuries do not automatically mean a trip into the transfer market.
The Spanish coach said: "No, not particularly. No injury means that we have to sign new players. At the start of the season, I said that we are capable of handling everything, even if we suffer important injuries. But we remain open to the opportunities available. This is one of the options we have."
On Kvaratskhelia, he added: "He will come back stronger, I have no doubt about that. Losing three players in a single match is strange. This represents a motivation for us as a team."
Paris are already getting positive signals from within. Belgian Mika Godts scored one and made another in the 2-0 win over Olympique Lyonnais, while youngsters Quentin Ndjantou and Senny Mayulu also caught the eye in the same match.
Sky Germany insist the interest in Maza is no idle gossip. The French club "has shown concrete interest" in the 20-year-old, they say, and his entourage knows all about it.
Should the deal go through in January, Maza would become the second Arab player in Saint-Germain's ranks, joining Moroccan Achraf Hakimi, one of the team's leaders.
Maza: a multi-role talent in the style of Akliouche
The Algeria international's tactical flexibility lets him fill more than one role in midfield and attack. The playmaker spot is his favourite, but he can operate in central and deeper midfield positions, as well as on the right and left wings.
In a previous interview with the Bundesliga's official website, Maza explained that he feels at home as a playmaker in a 4-2-3-1 but is ready to play anywhere. "I think the position where I feel the most comfortable is the number 10, in the 4-2-3-1 formation that we are currently using," he said.
He added: "I can also play as a number 8 or number 6, as well as on the left side, where I have played several times, or on the right side, as a winger who tends to cut inside. I feel comfortable in all positions. I just want to show my style of play, regardless of the position I play in."
Maza joined Bayer Leverkusen a year ago for 12 million euros. He has won 24 caps for Algeria and scored 3 goals.
This season he has also featured on the left wing, drifting into the inside channels rather than hugging the touchline, in a style reminiscent of Frenchman Magnes Akliouche.
Leverkusen do not want to part with their talent
Few young talents in the Bundesliga stand out like Maza. He has scored 8 goals and provided 10 assists in 54 matches with Bayer Leverkusen since joining them in 2025.
Transfermarkt value him at around 50 million euros, which means wrapping up any deal will be far from simple if Paris Saint-Germain decide to make an official move.
French website "Foot Mercato" report that the German club have no desire to sell. They see him as a pivotal figure in their future plans, and their officials have already set to work on extending his contract, which runs until 2030.
