Tottenham and Manchester United make contact over 2026 move for star who ‘will move for incredible fee’
Tottenham and Manchester United have made their move for Bundesliga wonderkid Said El Mala ahead of a potential 2026 move.
Liverpool and Chelsea are expected to join the race to sign El Mala, too, with the 19-year-old making waves in Germany.
The FC Koln star has scored six goals and provided two assists in just 14 Bundesliga appearances, despite making his debut in the competition at the start of the season.
Manchester City have sent scouts to watch El Mala, with Pep Guardiola reportedly impressed by the youngster.
El Mala has since said he will likely stay at Koln in January, but that will not dissuade Premier League clubs from attempting to jump the queue to sign him next summer.
Premier League clubs circle Said El Mala
El Mala‘s rise has been meteoric. Just last season, the 19-year-old was on loan in the third division of German football.
There, with Viktoria Koln, the forward scored 13 goals and provided five assists, encouraging decision-makers at his parent club to give him a chance in the first team.
And what a decision that would prove to be, with El Mala now mentioned among the most exciting talents in Europe.
| Said El Mala | Bundesliga 2025-26 |
| Appearances | 14 |
| Goals | 6 |
| Assists | 2 |
| Successful dribbles | 21 |
| Touches in opposition box | 64 |
| Duels won | 50 |
Speed, power, technical ability, ruthless finishing – the German has it all, and has already been called up to Julien Nagelsmann‘s squad.
German outlet BILD reported on Tuesday that Tottenham and Manchester United have now contacted Koln over a summer move for the left-winger.
Barcelona have already withdrawn from the race, but Bayern Munich and PSG are both expected to compete for his signing.
The Premier League clubs have indicated that they expect to pay a fee worth up to £35million, although there is an acceptance that the final number will be much higher.
El Mala signed a contract tying him down until 2030 in the summer, but the forward sees his next step in the Premier League.
Lukas Kwasniok sends clear message to interested clubs
Koln sit 10th in the Bundesliga, but will hope that El Mala’s extraordinary form will carry them further up the table in the coming months.
The young German picked up an injury in a game against Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday, but the problem is not thought to be anything serious.
Speaking about El Mala, Koln coach Lukas Kwasniok said: “Someday, he will be sold for an incredible fee. That’s okay. But I have the feeling that right now he carries Koln close to his heart, is enjoying his time here – and so are we.”
Judging by recent moves, the Polish coach is likely right. Given Koln’s strong position in negotiations, the German club will likely be hesitant to accept anything below the £70m that saw Nick Woltemade move to Newcastle United in the summer.