Borussia Dortmund submitted a bid for Said El Mala: Deal did not materialize

German club Borussia Dortmund made an official offer for the transfer of FC Köln's talented forward Said El Mala. However, the Dortmund side's initial attempt was unsuccessful. According to Sky Sport, the Köln management considers the offered sum to be significantly lower than the player's market value. This is reported by Goal.com reports.

Borussia Dortmund offered a total of 42 million euros for the 19-year-old player. This package included a guaranteed fee of 26 million euros, 8 million euros in easily achievable bonuses, and an additional 8 million euros tied to more difficult performance clauses. However, Köln rejected the offer without further consideration.

Failed deal with Brentford

Köln's firm stance is not without reason. Previously, English club Brentford expressed readiness to pay 50 million euros (45 million guaranteed and 5 million in bonuses) for Said El Mala, and the parties had even reached an agreement. However, the transfer collapsed at the last moment because the player's mother and advisor did not grant final approval.

Currently, Köln does not want to let their star go for anything less than the amount offered by Brentford. Borussia Dortmund will need to significantly increase their bid to remain competitive in the transfer market. Otherwise, the Bundesliga runners-up may fail to secure the young talent.

Köln head coach René Wagner emphasized that the rumors surrounding the transfer have not affected Said El Mala's mood in training. According to the coach, the player is acting professionally and giving his all in every game. "He shows himself as a full member of the team every day and does not show that his mind is elsewhere," says René Wagner.

Nevertheless, club sporting director Thomas Kessler hinted that the doors remain open for negotiations. According to him, if the offered sum approaches the level the club expects, the management may return to the negotiating table. For now, Said El Mala remains with Köln, but there is a high probability that the situation will change before the transfer window closes.