Overview
- Reports this week say 19-year-old Said El Mala has signalled a preference to join Borussia Dortmund, giving BVB fresh optimism that the move could happen.
- Köln are holding out for about €50 million while German outlets published differing accounts of Dortmund's proposals, including packages with lower guaranteed fees plus performance bonuses.
- Köln reportedly reacted angrily to the structure of Dortmund's offers and briefly paused talks, even as Dortmund sporting director Ole Book called many published fee figures false.
- Other suitors remain in the market: AS Roma is said to be willing to pay above €40 million and Brentford earlier had an accepted offer that El Mala rejected, preserving the player's leverage.
- The transfer now hinges on whether Dortmund can raise the guaranteed cash or a rival meets Köln's price, a dynamic made sharper by Köln having bought out a sell‑on clause so it would keep the full transfer fee.