Chelsea have expressed interest in signing highly rated Germany U21 forward Said El Mala from FC Koln, according to Absolut Fussball.
Chelsea have built a clear youth-focused recruitment model aimed at securing the brightest emerging talents from Europe and South America. In recent windows, they’ve brought in the likes of Kendry Paez, Aaron Anselmino, Geovany Quenda, Gabriel Slonina, and Caleb Wiley.
Their commitment to developing young players is already paying dividends – Mike Penders, Mamadou Sarr, and Paez are impressing on loan at BlueCo’s sister club Strasbourg, and Quenda is thriving in the Primeira Liga.
At the same time, Estevao made headlines by becoming the Premier League’s youngest match-winning goalscorer with his dramatic 96th-minute strike against Liverpool.
The Blues have no intention of halting this successful strategy, and their latest target is El Mala – a breakout Bundesliga star who has taken Germany’s top flight by storm since earning his first-team breakthrough this season.
According to Absolut Fussball, the 19-year-old left winger is on the radar of Chelsea scouts, and the club have recently expressed interest in luring the youngster to West London.
However, several clubs, including Brighton & Hove Albion and Bayern Munich, are also looking to sign him from the Cologne outfit, who value him at over £17m, according to the report.
Prospect
Often compared to former Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, and Bayern star Kingsley Coman, the Germany U21 international excels in open spaces, particularly when cutting in from the left onto his stronger right foot. He combines technical elegance with natural finishing instincts, making him a constant threat in the final third.
Last season, he spent time on loan at his former club, Viktoria Köln, in the German lower division, where he netted 13 goals and five assists in 32 appearances, and he has since adapted seamlessly to top-flight football this term.
After scoring his team’s fourth goal against Freiburg on Matchday 2, El Mala earned his first league start on Matchday 6 against Hoffenheim — and marked the occasion with a stunning solo effort in a 1-0 victory at the PreZero Arena, weaving past three defenders before rifling a fierce strike beyond Oliver Baumann.
His performances for Die Geißböcke are expected to improve, and interest in the winger is likely to grow, so Chelsea must act swiftly to secure his signature ahead of other rivals.
