Chelsea & Newcastle get transfer lifeline for £43.5m ‘one-in-a-million’ beast Brighton were closing in on | OneFootball

Brighton could end up losing the race for Said El Mala this summer, reports Christian Falk.

The Seagulls remain in the lead for the FC Köln winger, however, they have yet to meet the Bundesliga club’s ideal price range.

In which case, this could open the door for Premier League rivals Chelsea and Newcastle to swoop.

Brighton could lose Said El Mala transfer

Brighton’s current offer, sitting at €39m (inclusive of add-ons), falls short by €11m, according to FC Köln’s valuation.

“It is TRUE: Brighton are in the lead for Said El Mala. But it could be that other interested clubs still have a chance in this race, like Newcastle and Chelsea,” Falk exclusively informed CF Bayern Insider.

“That’s because the Brighton offer was about €35m plus €4m in add-ons, and Cologne want €50m. If they don’t get this money, perhaps they’ll be open to talking with Chelsea again. This could happen.

“At the moment, the way is clear – El Mala looks very likely to be playing Premier League football next season. Now we have to see whether he ends up at Brighton, which is the current plan, or if FC Köln say it won’t work because of the money on the table.”

It’s worth emphasising, of course, that the opening of the summer window is still 59 days away – which gives the south coast side plenty of time to try and meet the Bundesliga club in the middle.

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El Mala’s valuation is also unlikely to benefit from a World Cup-inspired surge, so we can more or less guarantee that €50m [£43.5m] will remain the rough target.

Of course, if Chelsea and Newcastle are prepared to come to the table with significant funds, it may suit Brighton to finalise talks with some rapidity.

What do the stats say about Said El Mala?

European football expert Andy Brassell described Said El Mala as a ‘one-in-a-million’ talent.

And it’s not hard to see why!

The 19-year-old has registered 11 goals and three assists in 29 Bundesliga games this season. All that coming at a rate of one goal contribution every 109.71 minutes.

That puts El Mala in great company as far as wide men are concerned in the German top-flight.

* Said El Mala’s per 90 stats in the 2025/26 Bundesliga season (Fotmob)

It’s clear that the teenager isn’t quite the finished product yet, of course.

But you’d think developmental time spent at a club that will give El Mala frequent opportunities, like Brighton, would help him on his way to reaching an elite standard in the sport.