Dortmund’s €42m Offer for El Mala Rejected by Koln

Borussia Dortmund has intensified their pursuit of Said El Mala from Koln, yet their initial offer of €42 million was promptly rejected by the Bundesliga club, which insists the value for the 19-year-old star should be around €50 million. Brentford had previously expressed willingness to pay this amount for the promising forward, but their bid ultimately fell through.

The offer from Dortmund comprised €26 million guaranteed, along with €8 million in achievable bonuses and another €8 million based on more challenging conditions. Despite this, Koln made it clear that the proposal was significantly lower than their asking price, reverting back to the previous agreement they had reached with Brentford.

Even after Dortmund’s interest, Koln remains steadfast in their demands. Head coach Rene Wagner has reiterated that El Mala’s current focus is on Koln, emphasizing that the ongoing transfer speculation has not affected the teenager’s performance in training. “He’s here, he’s a player for 1. FC Koln, and he gives it his all every day,” Wagner stated. “We had a long talk yesterday. He’s throwing himself into everything, knows exactly what he wants to work on. He’s doing that right now, and you can see that he’s involved in every tackle and contributes defensively.”

Wagner further noted that El Mala presents himself as a committed Koln player, stating, “He doesn’t give any player or staff member the feeling that his mind is elsewhere. We can be open with each other regarding the interest from other clubs, but for now, he’s training with us.”

Brentford had previously worked toward what would have been a club-record signing by agreeing on a €45 million fee with an additional €5 million in potential add-ons. Unfortunately, the deal collapsed due to El Mala’s mother, who serves as his main advisor, not providing the essential approval before Brentford’s deadline lapsed.

Koln’s sporting director Thomas Kessler acknowledged the negotiations with Brentford but soon dashed hopes by expressing that they are not inclined to lower their demand. With Dortmund now in the running, reports suggest that El Mala is open to the possibility of joining last season’s Bundesliga runners-up, provided the clubs can reach an agreement.

Currently, El Mala continues to train with Koln, maintaining his contract until 2030 and holding no release clause. Coming off a solid season where he netted 13 goals and registered five assists in 36 appearances, the young forward is expected to remain a hot topic in the transfer market until a resolution regarding his future is reached.