Manchester United and Chelsea are among the main suitors for exciting young FC Koln forward Said El Mala, as first reported here for the Daily Briefing.
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Koln are said to be realistic about El Mala’s future and it seems they would be prepared to accept offers in the region of €50-60m if they come in.
“They know there’s little prospect of him staying, and with so much interest they stand to make what they’ll see as a very good sale,” one source close to the situation told me.
Big names such as Man Utd, Chelsea, Man City, Newcastle, Tottenham, and Barcelona are all keen. There was previously also interest from Bayern Munich, but that’s now understood to have cooled as that’s not a position they’re prioritising this summer.
Interestingly, however, there’s some confidence in the circles of the agents industry that suggest Brighton have done some work on this deal and could be the favourites for El Mala.
The issue for Brighton is the cost, however, so not everyone I’ve spoken to is convinced. It remains one to watch if Koln don’t receive the kind of money they’re after from other clubs, as there’s no guarantee yet that the Chelseas and Man Utds of this world will make the 19-year-old a priority.
“Scouts from all the big clubs have given him rave reviews, there’s a real buzz about him in the industry,” another source told me. “Don’t rule out some clubs waiting until next summer, though, as he’s still a raw talent and not everyone will be keen on that asking price.”
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In many ways, it seems like El Mala could benefit from joining a stepping stone club like Brighton first, and that may be what other big clubs are thinking too.
Koln will want to make as much money as possible from his sale, though, so that…
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