Brighton are refusing to take no for an answer in their pursuit of Koln sensation Said El Mala. The Seagulls, ever the masters of identifying Europe’s most exciting young talent, have lodged a fresh formal offer for the 19-year-old winger. Despite the Bundesliga side’s previous reluctance to sell, Fabian Hurzeler’s side is pushing harder than ever to secure the teenager's signature before his value spirals out of reach.

Florian Wirtz's £100 million ($130m) move from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool didn't just upset Bayern Munich. It also hit hard at Koln. After all, Wirtz had come through their academy only to leave for Leverkusen in the summer of 2020 - and for a paltry €300,000 (£265,000/$350,000). Koln were furious. They felt Leverkusen had broken a 'gentleman's agreement' by signing one of the most exciting young players they'd ever produced - but there was nothing they could do about it. Wirtz's contract was expiring and he wanted to leave.

Former German legends Dietmar Hamann and Oliver Kahn have criticised the inclusion of Said El Mala in Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifying matches. Kahn argued that players should not be selected based on just two or three good performances, while Hamann felt that Nagelsmann should have waited until March next year to give El Mala his first opportunity with the national team.

Koln sporting director Thomas Kessler has moved to calm the hype surrounding rising star Said El Mala, following reports of interest from Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and several Premier League clubs. El Mala has committed his future to Koln by signing a contract until 2030 and the director insists he will not be sold any time soon by the Bundesliga side.

Vincent Kompany reserved special praise for Koln’s young starlet Said El Mala ahead of Bayern Munich’s DFB-Pokal clash with the Billy Goats. The 19-year-old midfielder, already attracting interest from Manchester City and Bayern, has become one of the Bundesliga’s brightest prospects, and Kompany has added to the growing hype.