"We'd be completely daft": 1. FC Köln president delivers an unexpectedly blunt statement about Said El Mala

It is increasingly clear that the 19-year-old will leave the club at the end of the season. Brighton & Hove Albion are strongly pursuing El Mala and have reportedly offered him a substantial pay rise. Cologne rejected an approach from the Seagulls in the winter transfer window, yet Brighton remains interested. Chelsea has also entered the race for the highly rated midfielder, who has established himself as one of the Bundesliga’s brightest talents this term.

“Of course we can offer him an environment in which he can develop wonderfully,” Stobbe clarified, suggesting that El Mala could also take his next steps in Cologne. The German Under-21 international is still under contract with the Cologne-based club until 2030, having only joined the FC from third-tier side Viktoria Köln last summer. “He is a very young player, highly talented. We will present him with a package that reflects our environment—and yes, that includes the financial side. He has a long-term contract with us,” Stobbe added.

According to The Express, a bespoke transfer arrangement could keep El Mala at Cologne for an additional season. The reported plan involves selling the star dribbler to a Premier League club this summer for a sizeable fee, then immediately loaning him back to Cologne for the following campaign. The arrangement would let El Mala continue developing in familiar surroundings, adding valuable experience to his game.

The winger made an explosive start to the season with several standout performances and in November received his first senior call-up from Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann, though he has yet to make his international debut. With a potential World Cup call-up in mind, Nagelsmann stressed that El Mala must first become a regular starter for his club. The youngster has recently fulfilled that criterion, starting all five of the club’s most recent Bundesliga matches and scoring three goals.

For now, he is ignoring approaches from other clubs to focus on the run-in with FC. A victory on Friday at 16th-placed FC St. Pauli, who occupy the relegation play-off spot, would put Cologne eight points clear with only four matches left—essentially assuring another season in the top flight.