Brighton Makes Significant Bid for Cologne’s Said El Mala

According to Sport Bild, Brighton & Hove Albion recently submitted a bid ranging from €25 million to €30 million, in addition to bonuses, for Cologne’s rising star, Said El Mala. This offer was officially turned down by the Bundesliga club.

Brighton expressed interest in acquiring the young German player even before he made his Bundesliga debut, with owner Tony Bloom initially prepared to invest €15 million after their first €10 million proposal was declined.

In a statement made in December, El Mala confirmed his intention to stay with Cologne through the winter transfer window. “When you score a few goals in the Bundesliga, other clubs automatically start calling,” he remarked to reporters. “That’s a nice confirmation of my performance, but I’m fully focused on FC,” he added, affirming his commitment with a simple, “Yes,” when asked about his future at the club.

While the €30 million price tag may be appealing to Cologne, whose previous record transfer was Anthony Modeste for €29 million in the 2018/19 season, managing director Thomas Kessler and his team deliberated before rejecting the offer.

Though no internal valuation has been articulated, if El Mala continues to perform well for Cologne through the remainder of the season, he could become a candidate for Julian Nagelsmann’s World Cup squad, having already received a call-up to the German national team.

Additionally, reports suggest that Brighton is willing to offer El Mala a lucrative salary of €15 million over the next five years.