Manchester City Target Bayer Leverkusen Star Ibo Maza as Silva Successor
Manchester City have identified Bayer Leverkusen’s Ibo Maza as a leading candidate to reshape their midfield once Bernardo Silva walks away from the Etihad.
The Algerian international, one of the breakout stories of Leverkusen’s season, has surged onto the radar of several European giants. City, though, may feel they hold a small but meaningful edge.
A familiar route from Germany to Guardiola
One detail will not be lost on City’s recruitment team: Maza is represented by the same agency that brokered Omar Marmoush’s move from Eintracht Frankfurt to Manchester in early 2025. That relationship has already delivered once. City know the terrain, the people, the process.
Guardiola’s track record in the Bundesliga market is already formidable. In 2023, Josko Gvardiol arrived from RB Leipzig for €90 million, a statement signing at the back. The year before, City triggered Erling Haaland’s release clause at Borussia Dortmund, a deal that altered the balance of power in Europe. When City shop in Germany, they tend to come back with cornerstones, not squad fillers.
Now, with Bernardo Silva’s contract running down and no extension on the table, the need is clear. The Portuguese playmaker has been a central pillar of Guardiola’s side since 2017. Replacing his intelligence between the lines and his press-resistance is no small task. Maza, at 22, offers a different profile but a similar promise: a midfielder who can tilt games in the final third.
From Hertha to indispensable at Leverkusen
Maza’s rise has been rapid. Leverkusen picked him up from second-tier Hertha BSC last summer for €12 million, a smart bet on upside rather than a ready-made star. Within months he had pushed his way into the starting XI and refused to let go.
Five goals and six assists in 38 appearances tell part of the story. The rest is in the way he has become a reference point in Leverkusen’s attacking structure, constantly available between the lines, always looking to break defensive shapes with a sharp pass or late run. Inside the BayArena, he is no longer seen as a prospect. He is a fixture.
That status is reflected in his contract: Maza is tied to Leverkusen until 2030. The message from the Rhineland is blunt. They are not planning for a future without him.
Rolfes draws a line in the sand
Sporting director Simon Rolfes made that stance public in March on Sport1’s “Doppelpass”. Asked about a possible return for Julian Brandt—who is set to leave Borussia Dortmund on a free transfer this summer—Rolfes shut the door.
“We have a superb player in that position in Ibo Maza, who will develop excellently over the coming years. For that reason, Julian will not be on our radar,” he said.
The subtext was clear: Leverkusen see Maza as the present and the future. They are not in the market for a replacement because, in their eyes, they already have a superior solution.
That does not mean they are deaf to the market. It does mean any suitor will have to speak loudly.
Heavyweights circling, price set
AC Milan and Atlético Madrid have both been linked with Maza in recent weeks. Two clubs with different styles but a shared need for creative thrust and goals from midfield. Their interest underlines how quickly Maza’s reputation has spread beyond the Bundesliga.
Leverkusen, for their part, are said to be willing to enter talks only if their €45 million valuation is met. No drawn-out haggling, no bargain hunters. Pay the price or move on.
For City, who have not hesitated to pay premium fees for the right profile, that figure is not prohibitive. The question is less about money and more about fit, timing, and the player’s own ambitions.
A World Cup shop window
Maza’s value could climb again before any serious negotiations even begin. This summer’s World Cup offers him a global stage and a chance to turn curiosity into conviction among Europe’s elite.
Born in Berlin, Maza came through the DFB youth system, representing Germany from U18 to U20 level. His football education was German, his technique and decision-making shaped in that environment. But his international future lies elsewhere.
With a father from Algeria and a Vietnamese mother, Maza chose to represent Algeria at senior level, switching allegiance to the Algerian Football Federation. He made his debut in October 2024 and carried that momentum into the Africa Cup of Nations, where a string of strong performances pushed him to the forefront of Algerian hopes.
Now comes the real test. Algeria have been drawn into a demanding World Cup group with defending champions Argentina, Austria and Jordan. It is a group that offers no guarantees, only opportunities. For Maza, that means direct duels with some of the best defenders in the world and the glare of a global audience.
Shine there, and €45 million may start to look like a floor, not a ceiling.
City’s next Bundesliga gamble?
Guardiola’s City have used the Bundesliga as a hunting ground for transformational signings. Gvardiol at the back. Haaland up front. Each move reshaped the team’s structure and ceiling.
Maza would be a different kind of bet: less proven at the very top, but with the blend of technical quality, versatility and tactical intelligence that Guardiola craves. Leverkusen are adamant they want to keep him. Milan and Atlético are hovering. The World Cup looms.
If City decide he is the man to inherit Bernardo Silva’s creative burden, they know the route to Germany well. The only real unknown now is how high the bidding will go once the world has watched Ibo Maza on the biggest stage.
