Said El Mala signs new contract amid Premier League interest  | OneFootball

The news comes just a day after Express reported that Premier League side Brighton were preparing a move for Said El Mala. Köln wasted no time shutting down those rumours, confirming the contract extension this morning.

It became clear early on that Die Geißböcke weren't interested in selling at this moment, the club’s hierarchy see him as a player ready to make a significant impact in the immediate future - believing they have a real talent on their hands.

Speaking with Express in June, Managing Director for Effzeh Christian Keller stated: “I'm pretty sure he'll be the most expensive departure in FC history. He's an exceptional player we signed when hardly anyone had seen him."

Köln’s current record sale remains Anthony Modeste’s €29 million move to Tianjin Tianhai in 2018. With this new deal, it’s clear Keller believes El Mala is destined to surpass that fee in the future.

Said El Mala spent last season on loan at Viktoria Köln in the 3.Liga, registering 13 goals and 3 assists. The 18-year-old continued to impress in the European Under-19 Championship in June, scoring 4 goals as Germany reached the semi-finals.