Transfer saga over El Mala: BVB chief reacts to rumours | OneFootball

Borussia Dortmund continue to be linked with Said El Mala of 1. FC Köln. Now BVB chief Lars Ricken has commented for the first time on the ongoing speculation.

Said El Mala’s future remains one of the big transfer stories of the summer. While Borussia Dortmund are still considered serious suitors, BVB’s decision-makers have so far remained publicly reserved when it comes to the 19-year-old 1. FC Köln attacking player.

During Dortmund’s trip to Japan, sporting managing director Lars Ricken made it clear that the club does not want to fuel the ongoing speculation any further. “From our side, it still looks like the player is not our player. Sometimes you journalists have some kind of information—I have no idea where you get it from. I certainly don’t think it comes from us,” Ricken explained.

At the same time, he reaffirmed the club’s stance: “That is why we will continue not to comment on players from other clubs who are under long-term contracts elsewhere.” At 1. FC Köln, too, the door to a possible transfer is generally still open, but only under clear conditions. Sporting managing director Thomas Kessler told kicker: “As a matter of principle, we always make decisions in the best interests of 1. FC Köln.”

BVB already wanted to sign Said El Mala in 2024

However, a move is currently not on the cards, as no agreement has been reached so far. El Mala is under a long-term contract until 2030 and remains “an important part of our team.”

Photo: IMAGO

It is also interesting that, according to information from Sport Bild, Borussia Dortmund had already shown strong interest in the attacking talent before El Mala’s move to 1. FC Köln. In March 2024, a transfer from Viktoria Köln to BVB was reportedly close to being completed, but ultimately fell through over the transfer fee. Since then, the youth international has developed impressively and is now regarded as one of Germany’s most sought-after talents.

According to current reports, Köln are now demanding around €50 million for El Mala. A BVB offer of €34 million plus possible bonus payments is reportedly not enough so far. At the same time, it is said that the player’s camp would be open to a move to Dortmund. Whether BVB come back with an improved offer in the coming weeks will likely be decisive in determining whether the transfer still goes through this summer.

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