England club is probably serious
40 million euro offer for DFB talent
May 26, 2026 – 4:38 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
Saïd El Mala’s departure from 1. FC Köln is becoming more likely. A Premier League club is reportedly offering a hefty sum for the U21 international.
The poker around Saïd El Mala is picking up speed. FC Brentford has now submitted a written offer to 1. FC Köln for the 19-year-old offensive player. “Sport Bild” and “Express” report this unanimously. The English obviously want to clarify things quickly.
Accordingly, the Premier League club is offering a base transfer fee of 40 million euros. In addition, there should be five million euros in easily accessible bonuses. In addition, a resale share of 15 percent is planned. Cologne could therefore plan for around 45 million euros if a deal is concluded. This would make El Mala the most expensive departure in the club’s history. Anthony Modeste brought in the highest transfer fee so far when he moved to Tianhai in China for 29 million euros in 2018.
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FC sports director Thomas Kessler confirmed in the El Mala case: “There is an offer.” No other club is said to have been willing to pay a similar amount. According to the report, Brighton had prepared an offer for 35 million euros, but there were no discussions. Cologne had already rejected an earlier written offer of around 28 million euros in January.
Brentford’s offer is said to contain a deadline
Brentford apparently wants to complete the transfer as soon as possible. The offer should contain a deadline. If there is no agreement in the coming days, the Londoners could withdraw from poker and pursue other candidates. Meanwhile, Cologne is apparently still trying to push the transfer fee further up.
Things could also happen quickly for the player. El Mala has been receiving advice from his mother Sabrina since March. She is currently refusing to work with an agency. She rejected several requests from intermediaries. According to “Sport Bild”, Brentford offers the offensive player a higher salary than Brighton. El Mala could have earned around four million euros there in the first year.
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