Borussia Dortmund are continuing work on a deal to sign 1. FC Koln winger Said El Mala, with the Bundesliga club reportedly prepared to pay between €40m and €45m for the highly rated teenager.
The 19-year-old remains one of Dortmund’s transfer targets and negotiations over a potential move are ongoing, according to well-known transfer insider Nicolo Schira on social media. A contract running until the middle of 2031 has already been prepared for the player, underlining the club’s intention to secure his future for the long term.
El Mala has emerged as one of the most prominent young players at 1. FC Koln after an impressive Bundesliga campaign. He scored 13 goals and supplied four assists in 34 appearances, although only 20 of those matches began with him in the starting line-up.
Dortmund are understood to value the winger’s potential highly enough to consider a fee in the €40m-€45m range. The figure would represent a major investment in a player who has only recently established himself as a significant attacking threat in the Bundesliga.
Transfermarkt currently values El Mala at €45m, matching the upper end of the reported amount Dortmund could be willing to pay. His valuation reflects the impact he made for 1. FC Koln during the previous campaign, despite spending a substantial number of matches as a substitute.
The proposed contract would keep El Mala at Dortmund until mid-2031 if the transfer is completed. However, the deal has not yet been finalised, with work continuing on the agreement between the clubs.
El Mala’s 13 goals and four assists came across 34 Bundesliga matches, giving him a direct contribution to 17 goals during the campaign. His record is particularly notable given that he started only 20 times, meaning his statistical output was produced without being a regular starter in every appearance.
For Dortmund, the reported pursuit places El Mala among the club’s key transfer targets. The proposed fee and the length of the contract indicate the importance being attached to the 19-year-old, while 1. FC Koln would face the prospect of losing one of the Bundesliga’s most highly valued young attacking players.
At this stage, the reported €40m-€45m move remains under discussion. Schira says negotiations are still progressing, while the contract details prepared for El Mala suggest Dortmund are continuing to work towards securing the winger on a deal lasting until 2031.
