📡 YahooJul 23, 2026👁 1 views

Said El Mala Emerges as Nusa Alternative

Said El Mala Emerges as Nusa Alternative

    02 May 2026, Berlin: Soccer, Men: Bundesliga, 1. FC Union Berlin - 1. FC Köln, Matchday 32, An der Alten Försterei, Saïd El Mala (1. FC Köln) celebrates his goal for 2:0. Photo: Soeren Stache/dpa - IMPORTANT NOTE: In accordance with the regulations of the DFL German Football League and the DFB German Football Association, it is prohibited to utilize or have utilized photographs taken in the stadium and/or of the match in the form of sequential images and/or video-like photo series. (Photo by Soeren Stache/picture alliance via Getty Images)
    ssciavilloThu, July 23, 2026 at 7:11 PM UTC·2 min read

    Sooner or later, Tony D’Amico will deliver a new attacking signing to Gian Piero Gasperini. The question is: How far down his list of targets will he have to go to land a new weapon for Gasperini? With Mason Greenwood heading to Turkey, Alejandro Garnacho to Aston Villa, and Crysencio Summerville to Saudi Arabia, the three players most closely linked to the Giallorossi have now signed elsewhere.

    Now, it seems that Roma has zeroed in on Antonio Nusa of RB Leipzig as its new main target. However, the price tag being bandied about for Nusa may be even higher than the reported agreed-upon fee Roma had with West Ham for Summerville. And there appears to be competition from Premier League side Newcastle, which may push the reported €55 million minimum negotiating point higher.

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    So, with that in mind, D’Amico will have to have be ready to pivot to plan E or F before long. And those appear to be Andreas Schjelderup of Benfica e Said El Mala of Koln. We reported on Schjelderup a couple days ago, but he may be too rich for Roma’s blood. That leave El Mala as the more likely alternative.

    El Mala is a 19-year-old winger who is part of the Germany under-21 setup and is coming off a 13-goal and 3-assist campaign for Bundesliga side Köln. It’s reported that Borussia Dortmund had an €26 million fixed fee, with €16 million in possible bonuses, offer rejected by Koln. The reason: Köln will only listen to offers of €50 million and up— a fee that seems a bit high for a player with a limited track record.

    But with Roma having difficulty securing more proven profiles at a similar fee, could D’Amico pony up the cash just to get fresh talent through the Trigoria doors?

    Time will tell, but we’ll have to wait for news on the Nusa situation first.