Photo credit: Youssef Maziz / Instagram
28-year old has been one of the best chance creators in Belgian Pro League in past few seasons
As promised by Colorado Rapids coach Matt Wells, the club is nearing a deal for attacking reinforcement.
The Rapids are finalizing a deal to sign attacking midfielder Youssef Maziz from Belgian Pro League side OH Leuven, a source confirmed to Rocky Mountain Soccer Journal. The Athletic’s Tom Bogert first reported the potential deal.
If the signing goes through, it would be a TAM signing for the 28-year-old attacking midfielder from France. It’s a free deal with the expiration of his contract last month.
Matt Wells told media earlier this month the club was looking to sign two attacking players at minimum. This appears to be one of them.
Maziz began his top-flight career with FC Metz in the French Ligue 1 at the age of 18. He didn’t get regular minutes in the first division until a move to Seraing in Belgium back in 2022-23. He broke out that season as a 23-year old, starting all 33 matches that season, scoring eight goals and providing eight assists. Both are still career highs.
He went back to Metz after that season — it was a Ligue 2 club by then — and helped the team promote back to Ligue 1. Once it got back there, he hardly played.
He went back to Belgium with OH Leuven three seasons ago and has been a regular contributor ever since. He regressed in 2024-25, but bounced back a bit last year with three goals and four assists in just more than 2,000 minutes.
But his calling card is his creation and ability to create trouble in the offensive third, which has been missing in long stretches of this Rapids season. Per Fotmob, Maziz was top of the line in some key stats among his position in the BPL:
- Expected assists: 87th percentile (6.75)
- Chances created: 90th percentile (62)
- Big chances created: 92nd percentile (14)
- Successful crosses: 97th percentile (57)
- Successful cross percentage: 90th percentile (35.6%)
Maziz also possesses some defensive talent for his position, showing good marks in recovery runs and clearances. Analytics alone, he seems like what’s becoming a classic Wells signing.
Per Opta Stats, the Rapids are currently 22nd in MLS in terms of xG (21.17), 18th in successful pass percentage in the final third (71.7%), 25th in successful cross percentage (19.1%). Maziz could bring up those averages considerably.
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