Is the mega transfer in jeopardy? 1. FC Köln appears to have drastically increased the asking price for Said El Mala

Brighton & Hove Albion have long been rumoured to be interested in El Mala, but in recent weeks the English club have been rebuffed by Cologne officials with several offers for the 19-year-old.

Now the transfer saga surrounding the rising star could begin anew. On a personal level, Brighton and El Mala are said to have already reached an agreement, though the Seagulls are reportedly unwilling to put more than €35 million on the table.

Meanwhile, Brighton is not the only club from the UK knocking on the door in Cologne for Said El Mala. Among others, Chelsea FC are also said to have expressed their interest. According to Sport-Bild, the player is reportedly considering seeking professional advice again and hiring an agent to prepare for new negotiations. For the past few weeks, the 19-year-old has been managed by his family.

Cologne, on the other hand, are in no hurry. Following the sacking of manager Lukas Kwasniok due to the current run of poor results and the promotion of Rene Wagner to head coach, the club intends to reach an agreement on the El Mala situation during the international break. The attacking player’s contract runs until 2030 anyway, and there is no release clause.

In this context, it is reported that they have also bought out El Mala’s former club, Viktoria Köln, of their 10 per cent share of any future transfer fee. The Effzeh apparently paid two million euros for this.

El Mala has impressed across the board in his debut season in the Bundesliga so far. In 27 matches, the 19-year-old has scored ten goals and provided four assists.