AC Milan make first contact over Bayer Leverkusen’s Ibrahim Maza as Ruben Amorim eyes midfield addition | OneFootball

AC Milan have made their first move in an attempt to sign Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Ibrahim Maza, according to Calciomercato.

The Rossoneri opened talks with the Algeria international’s representatives over a potential summer transfer.

Milan have admired the 20-year-old since his breakthrough at Hertha Berlin. The Serie A giants explored a deal before Bayer Leverkusen won the race for his signature last summer.

Milan are now back in the picture as they look to strengthen Ruben Amorim‘s squad with a specialist No.10.

Following their failure to land Konstantinos Karetsas, who opted to join Borussia Dortmund, Maza has re-emerged as one of the club’s leading creative targets.

Club officials held discussions with a Stellar Group representative to gauge whether Leverkusen would entertain negotiations.

The same intermediary is also involved in separate talks concerning Rafael Leao’s proposed move to Fenerbahce.

Maza is highly regarded within Milan’s recruitment department thanks to his technical quality, vision and tactical intelligence.

Comfortable across several midfield roles, the Algerian international combines excellent close control with a relentless work ethic, making him an attractive fit for Amorim’s preferred 3-4-2-1 system.

He could thrive as one of the inside attacking midfielders.

The youngster enjoyed an impressive debut season at Leverkusen, registering five goals and seven assists in 44 appearances across all competitions.

In league action, he scored three times while creating eight big chances, although there is a feeling his finishing could still improve given the quality of positions he consistently finds himself in.

However, convincing Leverkusen to sell will not be straightforward.

New head coach Carles Martinez Novell reportedly views Maza as a key part of his long-term plans.

The Bundesliga club is expected to demand more than €40 million before considering offers.

Despite the financial hurdle, Milan are expected to continue exploring whether a deal can be struck in the coming weeks.