News Focus
- Köln rejected a €50 million offer from Brentford for Said El Mala
- The player personally decided against joining the Premier League club
- Borussia Dortmund are now leading the race for his signature
- The complete deal could cost around €80 million including wages
- El Mala’s mother wants him to remain in Germany
FC Köln’s sporting director Thomas Kessler has confirmed that the club turned down a major bid from Brentford for star midfielder Said El Mala. The English Premier League side offered €50 million for the talented player.
Speaking to Sport BILD, Kessler explained that the financial offer was almost acceptable. However, El Mala himself chose not to make the switch to England after careful thought. This personal decision ended the transfer talks immediately.
Now, Borussia Dortmund have emerged as the clear favorites to sign the player. Reports suggest the Bundesliga giants could restart negotiations soon. Dortmund are famous in football circles for offering large wages and signing bonuses instead of massive transfer fees.
The situation is helped by El Mala’s strong friendship with Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck. Additionally, the player’s mother and advisor, Sabrina, prefers that her son stays near home rather than moving abroad.
Experts believe the total cost of the transfer could reach €80 million when combining the transfer fee and salary. Dortmund may offer El Mala an attractive wage packet while negotiating a lower transfer fee with Köln than the €50 million bid from Brentford.