Paris Saint-Germain are not planning to make a move for Bayer Leverkusen and Algeria midfielder Ibrahim Maza during the next winter transfer window, according to RMC Sport.
The French outlet reports that the Ligue 1 club do not intend to submit an offer for the 20-year-old in January. Despite Maza’s impressive performances in Germany and interest from several clubs, there is currently no plan inside Paris Saint-Germain to pursue his signing.
That position comes after a serious injury to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, which had raised questions about whether the French champions might alter their transfer plans before the end of the season.
However, Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique has already played down the likelihood of the injury prompting the club to recruit new players. Before the team’s Ligue 1 meeting with Olympique Lyonnais in the eighth round, which Paris Saint-Germain won 2-0, the Spaniard said his squad could cope with the absence of two or three important players.
“There is no injury that justifies the need to sign new players,” Luis Enrique said. “I said at the start of the season that we could cope with two or three important players being injured and unavailable.”
He added: “But it is clear that we remain attentive to every opportunity to sign a new player if we believe there is a genuine need. It is always our responsibility to monitor the opportunities available during the transfer window.”
Godts emerging as an option
RMC Sport says Paris Saint-Germain are instead relying on Mika Godts, who scored his first goal for the club against Olympique Lyonnais on Monday. The report says there is no clear intention to sign an attacking player as a direct replacement for Kvaratskhelia.
Maza has made an impressive start to the campaign with Bayer Leverkusen, scoring three goals and providing three assists in 10 matches. His form, however, is not expected to be enough to persuade Paris Saint-Germain to act for him in January.
The French club could consider signing a young player with significant potential and a relatively modest market valuation if it decides to strengthen during the winter window. Such a move would not necessarily involve an attacking player.
There is disagreement in the European media over the extent of Paris Saint-Germain’s interest in Maza. Sky Germany reported that the club’s attraction to the midfielder went beyond speculation, claiming that Paris Saint-Germain had “shown concrete interest” in the 20-year-old.
The report also said people close to Maza were aware of that interest, contradicting RMC Sport’s account that the French club currently has no intention of making an offer.
