Arsenal face Spurs battle for 20-year-old Bundesliga midfielder

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Arsenal are not the only Premier League club keeping tabs on Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Ibrahim Maza — and the competition is coming from the other side of north London.

The Gunners have been tracking the 20-year-old for some time and rate him as a player capable of arriving at the Emirates and contributing. But according to TEAMtalk, Tottenham are also in the running, with Spurs monitoring the midfielder and viewing him as someone who could strengthen their own options in the middle of the park.

A regular in Leverkusen's plans

Maza's standing at the BayArena is a significant part of the picture. He is described as one of the most important players in the Leverkusen squad, with his manager treating him as someone who needs to be on the pitch regularly.

That consistent exposure has been central to his development at such a young age, and it is exactly the kind of profile recruitment departments across Europe tend to prize — a young midfielder already trusted with meaningful minutes in one of the continent's strongest leagues rather than one waiting for his chance.

It also complicates any move. A player that central to a club's plans is rarely allowed to leave without a substantial fight, and TEAMtalk's report notes that any potential transfer would require a significant decision from both Maza himself and Leverkusen.

Interest, not yet an approach

It is worth being clear about the stage this is at. Neither Arsenal nor Tottenham have formalised anything — both clubs are in the monitoring phase, watching how Maza's situation develops before deciding whether to escalate.

Arsenal will hope their long-standing tracking of the player converts into an advantage should they choose to push forward. Spurs, meanwhile, could continue to observe and assess whether to make their own interest more concrete.

For Maza, the practical outcome is that two Premier League sides are following his progress closely, and his performances in the Bundesliga continue to be the driver behind that attention. If both clubs eventually move, the 20-year-old could find himself with a genuine choice to make.

TEAMtalk are an established outlet in the transfer space, though this falls short of the tier-one reporting that typically signals a deal gathering momentum. As things stand, this is interest being logged rather than a bid being prepared.

What it says about Arsenal's planning

The link fits a familiar pattern for the Gunners, who have repeatedly targeted young players with established first-team experience at top European clubs rather than gambling on unproven talent.

Maza would represent another addition in that mould — a midfielder with Bundesliga minutes already behind him and years of development still ahead.

The situation will be worth revisiting as the season progresses, with Maza's continued importance to Leverkusen likely to determine how quickly either north London club is willing to act.