Lionel Messi ranks Arsenal and Spurs target third on Kopa Trophy ballot
Lionel Messi has placed a shared Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur transfer target third on his Kopa Trophy ballot, ahead of several more heavily tipped young stars.
Ibrahim Maza, the 20 year old Bayer Leverkusen midfielder, received just one vote in total and finished ninth out of ten nominees for the award, which is voted for by a panel of former Ballon d'Or winners. That single vote, however, came from Messi himself, who included Maza in his top three alongside Barcelona and Spain duo Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi.
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The inclusion meant Messi overlooked the likes of Ayyoub Bouaddi, Eli Junior Kroupi, Johan Manzambi, Kerim Alajbegovic, Lennart Karl, Warren Zaire-Emery and Yan Diomande, several of whom were considered more prominent contenders for the prize. Maza represented Algeria at this summer's World Cup, featuring in their 3-0 defeat to Messi's Argentina.
Arsenal and Spurs among several admirers
According to TEAMtalk, Arsenal and Tottenham have been tracking Maza and are understood to have watched him play this season, with Maza valued at around £58million. Aston Villa, Chelsea, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain are also reported to be monitoring the midfielder.
Maza has been almost ever present for Leverkusen this term, scoring four goals and adding three assists in twelve appearances across all competitions. Internationally, he has started 16 consecutive matches for Algeria stretching back to last winter's Africa Cup of Nations, taking his caps tally to 24 ahead of his 21st birthday on 24 November.
Maza reacts and discusses Wirtz comparisons
Speaking after Leverkusen's defeat to Stuttgart at the weekend, Maza addressed the recognition from Messi directly. “I wanted to focus on the game first and tried to put it out of my mind, but then a few messages came through,” he said. “It's a great honour to receive recognition or be voted for by a player like that.”
Messi has a history of selecting unexpected names for the Kopa Trophy. He backed both Cubarsi and Yamal last year too, with his third vote going to Desire Doue, while Alejandro Garnacho joined Cubarsi and Yamal on his ballot the year before. In 2023, he picked Jamal Musiala and Pedri ahead of Jude Bellingham.
Maza has also drawn comparisons to Florian Wirtz given their shared Leverkusen roots, and responded modestly when the subject was raised. “Flo is an incredible player, a real Bayer Leverkusen legend,” he said. “I am still trying to follow my own path and be my own player. I think we are a little different in terms of our playing styles, but of course, it is nice to be able to follow in the footsteps of such a great player. I hope that one day I can play at his level and achieve that.” He added simply: “Flo is Flo.”
With Maza's form continuing to attract attention from across Europe, interest from Arsenal and several other clubs looks set to persist through the rest of the season.
