Atlético Madrid Pursues Bayer Leverkusen's Maza

Atlético Madrid are back at a familiar door, and this time they’re knocking louder.

Diego Simeone has again zeroed in on Bayer Leverkusen’s 20-year-old Algerian playmaker Maza as he looks to sharpen his midfield. The message from Madrid is clear: they want him, and they want him now.

According to Bulinews, Atlético’s sporting department have already made contact with Leverkusen to register their interest. The response from Germany is just as clear. Leverkusen do not plan to sell. Not this talent. Not at this stage.

Maza has turned himself into one of the most coveted young midfielders in Europe. That comes at a price. Leverkusen paid around €12 million to bring him in from Hertha Berlin in the summer of 2025. Since then, his value has exploded. With a contract running until June 2030, any deal now is expected to start around the €70 million mark.

Atlético know this story well. Their pursuit of Maza goes back years. beIN Sports journalist Hafid Derradji revealed that the Spanish club once lodged a €35 million bid while the Algerian was still at Hertha. Hertha rejected it without hesitation. Atlético never stopped watching.

Now the player they tracked from afar has become a central figure in one of Europe’s most exciting sides. Maza has been electric for Leverkusen this season, an automatic starter in Xabi Alonso’s line-up. One goal, two assists, four starts. He only missed the club’s Europa League opener because of illness. When he’s fit, he plays. Simple as that.

That kind of form doesn’t just attract one club. Atlético are jostling for position with Premier League money. Arsenal and Manchester City both pushed hard for Maza in the summer window, testing Leverkusen’s resolve with concrete interest. The German club didn’t blink. Selling the 20-year-old was never an option.

So Leverkusen have moved from resisting to reinforcing.

To keep Atlético and England’s elite at arm’s length, the Bundesliga leaders are already working on a new contract, as reported by Bild. The idea is to lock Maza in beyond 2030 and to do it on terms that reflect his new status.

Talks with his representatives began last week. No agreement yet, but the direction is obvious: pay him like the star he has become. Maza currently earns around €3 million per season. The proposed extension would significantly increase that figure, a major financial upgrade designed to make staying in Germany as attractive as any move abroad.

Leverkusen want their midfield maestro to be the face of their project for years. Atlético, and the Premier League giants lurking in the background, are betting that every player has a price.