Silly question, but what do you call a transfer window when only one person knows about it? I opened a new tab in my notebook, the green one, for Ibrahim Maza. He is 20, an attacking midfielder, an Algeria international, and he is under contract at Bayer Leverkusen until 2030. On Wednesday, in an interview with RTL/Sky Sport Deutschland, he talked about his future.
He said: “Of course, it would be a huge dream to play one day for such a prestigious club. I think we all know what a great club Paris Saint-Germain is. It’s one of the best in the world, alongside Real Madrid, Barcelona and Arsenal.”
I reread it on the 7.32 train. He names four clubs. So he dreams of Paris, but he has reference points. That seems healthy to me. He added: “Playing for a club like that is a goal I’m working towards, like many other footballers.” Like many other footballers. He was honest right down to the queue.
Then I read RMC Sport. According to RMC Sport, PSG are not interested in signing him this winter and are not considering an offer in the next transfer window. I’m told this is called un appel du pied in French, literally a call of the foot. I asked who picks up. I was told: sometimes nobody, that’s the whole idea. Basketball doesn’t have that, I looked: you call a timeout, and someone comes.
I am noting his numbers anyway, because nobody dreams empty-handed: 24 caps and 3 goals for Algeria, 4 goals and three assists in all competitions since the start of the season.
In 1980, we dreamed too. We just didn’t say it to German television.
And on Thursday at 9pm, Leverkusen face OM (Olympique de Marseille) again in the Europa League. I asked whether Marseille is close to Paris. Everyone laughed, nobody answered. I put a question mark in the green tab.
It’s true, we checked: RMC Sport.
