Things are moving thick and fast at Borussia Dortmund right now. Just days after Karim Adeyemi's departure to FC Barcelona was confirmed, the club announced Konstantinos Karetsas signing from Belgian side Genk.
And the good news is, they aren't stopping any time soon. Dortmund are now keen to land another young gun at Signal Iduna Park as FC Koln's Said El Mala is reportedly on their radar.
Who is Said El Mala?
Born in August 2006, Said El Mala is a German winger who plied his trade his with multiple youth sides across Germany before finally making his senior debut with Viktoria Koln in 2024 where he impressed with his effervescent attacking flair. He then joined FC Koln the same year and continued his development.
Last season, El Mala alerted Europe with his prodigious talents once again by playing a big part in Koln's Bundesliga run that resulted in 13 goals and five assists from 34 games and helped them beat relegation once more.
Wanted in Premier League, but heart set on Bundesliga
El Mala's eye-catching displays have reportedly garnered attention from Premier League teams too but according German news outlet BILD, the forward wants to remain in the Bundesliga.
This could turn the screw in Dortmund's favor with El Mala also said to be interested in joining the Black and Yellow, further handing them the leverage in negotiations.
Koln demanded €50 million for him, which is roughly €20 million more than Dortmund's most expensive signing in history, and Ruhr Nachrichten reported that they had an earlier bid of €30 million rejected by their league rivals too.
Previous attempt that fell apart
This isn't the first time that Dortmund have expressed interest in Said El Mala. Back in 2024 too, the Bundesliga giants had reportedly attempted to bring him to the club but the move fell apart.
Apparently, there was a discrepancy in the transfer fee as the BVB offered 150,000 euros for the then-17-years-old who was with Viktoria Koln at the time.
But the player ended up joining FC Koln for 350,000 euros instead.
Dortmund's U19 coach at the time, Mike Tullberg, was a fan of El Mala and saw great potential in him but Lars Ricken wasn't as convinced.
What next?
It is unlikely to see Dortmund shell out €50 million on a 19-year-old who is coming off the back of just one full season at the top-flight level.
But given the player's desire to continue playing in the Bundesliga and Dortmund's promise of competing for trophies on multiple fronts, including the Champions League, the Billy Goats could be forced to accept a bid for a lesser price sooner or later.
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