Chelsea, Man Utd ‘in contact’ for ‘explosive’ new Bundesliga star who scores spectacular goals | OneFootball

Chelsea and Manchester United are among 10 big clubs who have taken steps towards signing FC Koln winger Said El Mala, according to a report.

German outlet Sport1 claim Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain have all ‘made contact’ with El Mala’s camp to gauge his interest in a potential move. At least four other unnamed European giants have also spoken with the player’s agent.

El Mala’s thrilling performances for Koln have left a huge impression on scouts across Europe, and the race to sign him has ‘long since begun’.

Said El Mala transfer: Need to know

El Mala is enjoying a superb breakout season in Germany and is emerging as one of the country’s most exciting young talents.

Kwasniok knows El Mala will soon outgrow Koln and wants him to be sold for ‘an incredibly high price’ when the time comes.

This is El Mala’s first season with Koln, having been signed in July 2024 but spent last season out on loan, and he is thriving.

Is El Mala Germany’s next big thing?

The forward, who mainly operates on the left wing but can also play on the right or as a No 10, is developing a reputation for scoring brilliant goals.

He loves to cut inside on his stronger right foot before attempting to either pick out the far corner with a curled effort or taking on numerous players before setting up a team-mate.

German newspaper Bild have previously claimed El Mala will cost €50-60million (up to £52m / $70m) to sign next summer.

The Bundesliga’s official website has described El Mala as an ‘explosive’ winger who shares similarities with former Bayern ace Kingsley Coman.

He is rather tall for a winger, standing at 6ft 2in, but he uses his speed and trickery to glide past opponents with relative ease.

El Mala has had a ‘meteoric rise’ at Koln in recent months – his ‘sensational’ goals have alerted Europe’s elite, and his talent ‘blazes in front of your eyes’.

The teenager has played four times for Germany U21s so far and will be eyeing a call up to the first team if his stunning form continues.

A major transfer to one of the aforementioned clubs would also help El Mala’s chances of representing Germany at the highest level.

Do Chelsea actually need El Mala?

Chelsea revolutionised their left-wing options over the summer, signing both Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens.

The Blues decided to engineer those deals after deciding they had no need for Raheem Sterling, while Mykhailo Mudryk is still waiting to find out if he will be banned after failing a drugs test.

El Mala would therefore have to battle Garnacho and Gittens for minutes if he moved to Stamford Bridge.

El Mala could replace Tyrique George in the Chelsea squad, as the Englishman is considering leaving so he can become a regular starter elsewhere.

While El Mala is clearly a player with huge potential, Enzo Maresca would likely argue that he does not need yet more additions on the left flank.

Chelsea chiefs, however, are constantly searching for the best young players around so bolster their portfolio, and El Mala fits into that category.

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