Arsenal have been handed a monumental boost in their ongoing pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Ibrahim Maza after French titans Paris Saint-Germain completely withdrew from the race to sign the 20-year-old sensation.

The unexpected development leaves the Gunners as the clear frontrunners to secure the Algerian international’s signature during the upcoming January transfer window.

The Ligue 1 champions had originally identified Maza as an urgent mid-season target following a season-ending injury to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

However, PSG’s sporting director Luis Campos abruptly ended all internal discussions and closed the door on a potential transaction after taking strong exception to how negotiations were approached by the player's camp and Leverkusen representatives.

According to reports, Campos was angered when Maza’s representatives sought to introduce external agency intermediaries to verify PSG’s concrete interest before entering formal talks.

Viewing the maneuver as an unnecessary power play, the French club pulled out of negotiations entirely, insisting they had never formally initiated official bidding proceedings for the young playmaker.

The abrupt collapse of Paris Saint-Germain’s interest opens a massive structural advantage for Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and technical director Andrea Berta.

The North London club has actively tracked Maza’s meteoric development in Germany, where the youngster’s versatility, technical flair, and press-resistant qualities have made him one of Europe's most sought-after prospects.

Adding further momentum to a prospective move, Maza publicly fueled speculation by labeling Arsenal as one of the elite footballing institutions in world football and describing a potential move to the Emirates Stadium as a dream step for his career.

With Leverkusen holding out for a transfer fee in the region of €60 million to €70 million, Arsenal's executive board is now positioning itself to launch an decisive opening bid when the transfer market reopens.

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https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/arsenal/transfer-talk/news/psg-close-door-on-arsenal-target-ibrahim-maza_608811.html