Newcastle United emerge as favourites to land rising star in German football after news of huge boost

Newcastle United find themselves in pole position to sign Algerian wonderkid Ibrahim Maza in the January transfer window, according to reports from Caught Offside.

Eddie Howe’s side have placed a great emphasis on the recruitment of young players in recent transfer windows and have identified Hertha Berlin star Maza as a player that they feel is capable of developing into a world superstar.

The teenager has attracted interest from a number of Premier League clubs such as Southampton, West Ham United, Leicester City, Fulham and Brentford.

But who is Ibrahim Maza and why are so many clubs in the running to sign the youngster? Here’s all you need to know.

Who is Ibrahim Maza?

Ibrahim Maza is an 18-year-old attacker that currently plays for Hertha Berlin in the second tier of German football.

The 5ft 11in star joined Hertha’s academy in 2018 and quickly rose through the ranks to establish himself as a first team player in 2022 when he was just 16-years-old. He made his professional debut in a 2-0 defeat to Bayern Munich just a week after the club’s relegation was confirmed and showcased his potential on the final day of the 2022/3 season with an equalising goal against Wolfsburg.

He went on to make a further 13 league appearances last term in midfield for the second tier side, registering one goal and two assists in a season where the club narrowly fell short of the play-offs. Under new manager Cristian Fiel, Maza has established himself as a mainstay in the Hertha team and is now regarded as one of the capital side’s main attacking threats.

Watch: The Premier League Panel: Will we ever see another Class of '92?

So far this term, he boasts a tally of four goals and one assist from 14 matches as a forward, and has also made his senior debut for the Algerian national team.

He is part of a Hertha team that currently sit seventh and four points behind league leaders Paderborn.

Ibrahim Maza estimated valuation

Ibrahim Maza has been regarded as one of German football’s most promising prospects for a number of years and Hertha Berlin have often priced any club out of making an offer for their prized asset.

However, in a new boost to Newcastle United, Caught Offside understands the capital side have reduced their valuation to around £16m which puts him within the Magpies’ price range.