🚨⚫️🟡 Exclusive! #BVB has bid for Said El Mala (19/🇩🇪): €26m fixed + €16m in possible bonuses. €8m realistically achievable, the other €8m unrealistic.

Went in last week in Cologne. FC bosses were irritated because the offer was clearly below the €50m price tag. 🐐🔴⚪️

Cologne sports boss Thomas Kessler absolutely refuses to let El Mala go to Dortmund under these circumstances. The player can basically imagine a move to #BVB, as reported, but is also putting in exemplary effort in training at FC right now. @SkySportDE

Sky previously reported that Premier League side Brentford had made a €45M offer (40M fixed plus add-ons) which does not appear to have been good enough, either.

If El Mala lives up to his billing, even €50M is not going to seem like a high price to pay in a few years. Köln is right to hold out here and should be under no obligation to let their young star go for cut rate to a Bundesliga rival. It does not sound like El Mala is desperate to leave right this minute, either — as he should not be. For one, he was only a rotational player for Köln last season, albeit a highly productive one with 20 league starts and 13 goals to his name. His stock has room to grow, which should mean that Dortmund will not be his last major suitor.

For another, BVB has not exactly been a hub for German attacking talent lately. Other clubs, perhaps in other leagues, could offer as good or better developmental opportunities when El Mala is ready to take his next steps.

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