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1. FC Köln v SV Werder Bremen - BundesligaGetty Images Sport
Oliver Maywurm

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A surprise for Said El Mala? The 1. FC Köln star could be part of a unique transfer model

Bundesliga
Transfers
Premier League
S. El Mala
FC Koeln
Brighton
Chelsea

1. FC Köln looks set to keep its coveted forward Said El Mala for the upcoming campaign.

According to the Express, a special transfer model is under discussion for the 19-year-old’s likely move to the Premier League.

  • El Mala is expected to be sold this summer, then immediately loaned back to 1. FC Köln for a further season by his new club. Chelsea and Brighton are the frontrunners.

    Express reports that the club is “completely relaxed” about the situation. El Mala is under contract with the 13th-placed Bundesliga side until 2030, and there is no release clause. Sporting director Thomas Kessler has stressed that no concrete bids have yet materialised for the Germany U21 international, telling the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger, “The initiative lies with 1. FC Köln!”

    The plan would allow the youngster to remain a key figure in familiar surroundings for another season before moving on to fresh challenges, though that scenario hinges on Cologne avoiding relegation.

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  • Said El MalaGetty Images

    1. FC Köln: Said El Mala is on the verge of a significant pay rise at Brighton

    Brighton are reportedly ready to offer El Mala a substantial pay rise to secure his services. His brother Malek, currently with the club’s reserve team, could be included in the same deal.

    Despite the speculation, El Mala remains fully focused on the season finale and the Billy Goats’ fight against relegation; according to Express, he has even asked his parents not to update him on any new offers until the campaign is over.

    Having joined Köln from Viktoria Köln in 2024 before being immediately sent back on loan, El Mala established himself as a key performer upon his return to the club last summer. Last summer he linked up with the Geißbockheim and quickly established himself as a key performer, though he has not always been a automatic starter. His form earned him a first senior Germany call-up in November, and a strong finish to the campaign could yet secure him a place in the World Cup squad.

    In Cologne he has recently become a regular starter, recording eleven goals and four assists in 31 appearances this term. With three goals in his last four outings, El Mala is proving an X-factor at a crucial time: with five matchdays left, Cologne sit five points above the relegation play-off place.

  • Said El Mala: The remaining fixtures in the relegation battle with 1. FC Köln


    Matchday

    Date

    Opponent

    30

    Friday, 17 April

    FC St. Pauli (A)

    31

    Saturday, 25 April

    Bayer Leverkusen (H)

    32

    Saturday, 2 May

    Union Berlin (A)

    33

    Sunday, 10 May

    1. FC Heidenheim (H)

    34

    Saturday, 16 May

    FC Bayern Munich (A)


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