Man City ready to battle Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund for Bundesliga wonderkid with Man Utd and PSG also monitoring teenager

According to the Bayern Insider podcast, via German television channel Sport1, El Mala is believed to be attracting interest from a number of clubs. After emerging from the academy of German third tier outfit Viktoria Koln, the youngster signed a contract with top-flight side FC Koln in 2024, remaining on loan with the lower league club for the 2024-25 season. After scoring 13 goals in 32 games in 3. Liga last season, Sport1 claim Brighton lodged a £17 million (€20m/$23m) bid to sign El Mala in the summer, which was rejected by Koln.

Now in his first season in the Bundesliga, El Mala has played a key role in Koln’s fantastic start to the 2025-26 campaign, recording three goals and one assist to help the club rise to sixth in the table. Lukas Kwasniok’s men have claimed victories over Mainz, Freiburg and Hoffenheim, while they have also registered draws with Wolfsburg and Augsburg in their seven league games this season. El Mala netted the all-important winner in Koln’s 1-0 win over Hoffenheim on 3 October, while he also found the back of the net against Freiburg and Augsburg on 31 August and 18 October respectively.

And following his impressive start to the season, El Mala has reportedly caught the eye of City. Referencing Bild reporter Tobias Altschaffl’s comments on the Bayern Insider podcast, Sport1 claim Pep Guardiola’s men have reached out to the wonderkid’s camp. However, the same report claims that Bundesliga duo Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund - as well as Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain - are also believed to be interested in signing El Mala.

El Mala will be looking to continue his fine form in front of goal when Koln travel to one of his reported suitors, Dortmund, on Saturday evening. Niko Kovac’s men are looking to return to winning ways in the Bundesliga following their 2-1 defeat against rivals Bayern in the first Klassiker of the season last weekend. Dortmund were victorious in the week, however, defeating Danish outfit Copenhagen 4-2 in the Champions League.

City, meanwhile, are looking to continue their excellent run of form when they head to Aston Villa on Sunday. Guardiola’s side are unbeaten in their last nine games in all competitions, rising to second in the Premier League table. City are also seventh in the Champions League standings, having won two and drawn one of their opening three fixtures.

Such is their good form in the league that City are now being considered strong contenders to lift the title this season. Having been named third favourites by several bookmakers before the start of the season, just behind rivals Arsenal and Liverpool, City’s credentials have been strengthened of late, with talisman Erling Haaland in remarkable goalscoring form.

In his column in The Telegraph, Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher said City's title rivals will be fearful of Haaland's current form, saying: “Arsenal came into this season worried about Liverpool being the major obstacle to ending a 21-year title wait. Now their biggest fear might be Erling Haaland.

“Where Arsenal have the best squad among the contenders and Liverpool must fix well-documented issues, Manchester City have the most influential player and dynamic attacker. The Norwegian is the biggest reason why Pep Guardiola’s side have a great chance of reclaiming their crown. Without him, City’s most realistic target would be finishing in the top four.

“City’s performance against Everton last weekend was relatively average for a Guardiola side. Haaland’s double elevated them to victory.

“When a title-challenging side looks so dependent on one footballer, usually that is a source for concern. Guardiola will feel blessed. Haaland is so good he can be the difference every time he plays. He is the most lethal finisher of this generation, which is why he is already worthy of comparison with past legends.

“I stand by my claim that Haaland is already the greatest goalscorer we have ever seen in England.”