Brentford record deal in doubt as family 'ask the club to sign his brother' | OneFootball

Brentford's proposed €50m move for 19-year-old Said El Mala from Köln is in doubt. Bild first reported an agreement at €45m plus €5m in add-ons after his 13-goal Bundesliga season on the left.

Hours later, Sky Germany said El Mala and his family had officially informed Brentford they did not want to join.

Minutes after that, Sky Sports reported the move was not progressing in part because his family wanted the Premier League club to sign his 21-year-old brother Malek, and that uncertainty remained over Malek's work permit. The same report added nothing had been formally agreed between the clubs or with the player, while a fee around £39m, €45m, was not expected to be an issue, and El Mala was open to the move.

Malek, a 6ft4in striker, also plays for Köln and is represented by the family. He joined in 2024 and has yet to feature, after time at Viktoria Köln and FC Köln II.

Should the transfer materialise and all add-ons be met, the fee would eclipse Brentford's record signing of Dango Ouattara, £42.5m from Bournemouth last summer. Brentford must now decide whether to include Malek in any package, with his work permit a potential stumbling block.

El Mala has also been linked with Brighton, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest.

Source: Hounslow Herald