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Seeking a higher transfer fee, 1. FC Köln is awaiting a key ruling in the case of Said El Mala

1. FC Köln are reportedly hoping that Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann will include the young attacker in his World Cup squad, believing that the additional exposure could drive up the transfer fee for the 19-year-old.

According to Express, the Rhineland club values El Mala at €50 million if he departs in the summer. If he is picked for the World Cup, the FC believes his price could rise to €60-€70 million. Consequently, the Cologne outfit is eagerly awaiting Thursday's official decision from national team manager Nagelsmann.

English Premier League side Brentford FC has recently joined the race to sign El Mala. According to kicker, the club is preparing a €40 million offer, which may suffice for Cologne if El Mala fails to impress on the international stage at the World Cup.
Last summer Brighton had already shown interest, but the youngster chose to begin his first Bundesliga campaign with FC instead. His performances, especially in the first half of the season, drew the attention of several top Bundesliga clubs, and Chelsea are also reported to have monitored his progress.

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Said El Mala is yet to earn his first senior international cap.
El Mala's parents are said to favour a move within the Bundesliga for their son, though that may prove difficult, given the fee Bayern hope to secure. Reports suggest Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are interested in the teenager, but both clubs are likely to baulk at a price tag exceeding €40 million.
El Mala was included in Nagelsmann's squad for the World Cup qualifier against Luxembourg in November 2025, but did not feature in the 2-0 away win. Since then, he has played only for the German Under-21s, contributing one goal and one assist in three outings.
Said El Mala's statistics for the 2025–26 season:
Games: 35
Minutes played: 1958
Goals: 12
Assists: 5