According to German outlet Bild, Manchester United are one of the clubs interested in signing Koln winger Said El Mala.
The 19-year-old signed for the Bundesliga outfit from Viktoria Koln in the summer of 2024, but was loaned back for the 2024/25 campaign due to a transfer ban.
El Mala has now made a big impression during his debut season. He has already bagged six goals & 3 assists from 16 appearances in the German top-flight.
His performances have caught the eye of Europe’s elite clubs, and Bild claim that Man United are among his suitors alongside Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City.
A winter deal is not on the cards, but a stay beyond the summer is considered unlikely. Koln are said to be eyeing £52 million.
Top talent
The German youth international was a relatively unknown figure, but his reputation has vastly increased after a bright start to the Bundesliga campaign with Koln.
He has been directly involved in 9 goals for the newly-promoted outfit despite playing only 678 minutes thus far. Koln are poised to keep him for the season to stay clear of relegation.
United are one of the teams monitoring him, and he could prove a good signing, given his vast potential and versatility on the pitch.
He has vastly played from the left side of Koln’s attack, but has made few appearances as a main striker. He has also operated as an attacking midfielder in the past for Viktoria.
Despite being a dominant presence at 187cm, El Mala has grabbed the eye with his quick dribbling skills and ability to get behind defences with his good ball-carrying ability.
He would fit perfectly into manager Ruben Amorim’s plans at United, and could be seen as an understudy to Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo in the attacking midfield.
El Mala has shown that he can operate upfront on his own and would provide another solution alongside Benjamin Sesko, who is still adapting to the Premier League.
A mid-season transfer appears out of the cards, and United may still want to be pro-active to avoid missing out on his services.
They could negotiate a pre-transfer agreement for the summer, though the club are unlikely to pay anywhere near the clause and may want a discount from Koln for the attacker.
