Köln reject mega bid for El Mala: will BVB up theirs? | OneFootball

Will BVB ultimately fail in the transfer poker over Said El Mala? 1. FC Köln has also rejected the next multi-million offer.

Borussia Dortmund apparently is not giving up in its pursuit of Said El Mala. But BVB’s latest offer has also failed to produce a breakthrough with 1. FC Köln. According to information from Express, the Bundesliga club’s decision-makers have now rejected the fifth offer for the 19-year-old.

According to consistent media reports, the improved offer arrived in Cologne late on Wednesday evening. Dortmund is said to have put together a total package worth more than €55 million. The key issue from FC’s point of view: the guaranteed transfer fee still remains below the apparently crucial €50 million mark.

Reports say BVB is offering €48 million as a fixed base fee. On top of that, there are said to be €2 million in relatively easy-to-achieve bonus payments. A further €5 million could become due in the coming years. A sell-on clause for Cologne in the event of a future El Mala transfer is also said to have been part of the offer.

BVB and El Mala: 1. FC Köln sticks to its multi-million demand

But FC is standing firm. Cologne apparently wants at least €50 million guaranteed and, according to Express, was therefore unwilling even with the new offer to seriously negotiate a sale. Whether Dortmund will now make a sixth attempt and put the demanded fixed fee on the table remains to be seen. In addition, the late stage of the transfer window could further strengthen Cologne’s position.

Photo: IMAGO

FC sporting director Thomas Kessler recently deliberately avoided committing himself to a specific transfer fee. “The price tag is an issue I have never communicated publicly. I never said there was a price tag,” Kessler explained. At the same time, he made it clear: “There is a range in which we at 1. FC Köln say that we are willing to talk.”

El Mala himself is said to have already reached a basic agreement with BVB and turned down other interested clubs. The attacking player also seems to have the backing of the Dortmund squad. Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel recently said about the youngster: “He has speed, has a good finish, is good one-on-one: those are all qualities I really like to have in the team.” The ball is now back in BVB’s court.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.