Fresh Twist As Chelsea Make Decision On £43M Rated German Starlet Who Wants PL Move
Chelsea are “currently not in the race” to sign FC Cologne winger Said El Mala, according to Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg.
Posting on his X account, Plettenberg said that the 19-year-old is keen on joining a Premier League club this summer, but the Blues are not looking to make a move for the player at the moment:
“FC Koln still want up to €50m for Said El Mala. Brighton are waiting in the background. FC Bayern are out at that price. Chelsea are currently not in the race despite reports.”
“El Mala would back himself to make the move to the Premier League in the summer. Nothing has been decided yet, though. His focus right now is participation at the World Cup.”
Why are Cologne demanding so much for El Mala?
€50m (£43m) is a lot of money for a teenager who has only one year of top-flight football under his belt.
However, El Mala has made a big impression in his first Bundesliga campaign, scoring 12 goals and providing 5 assists in 32 appearances. That is especially impressive when you consider that Cologne have been struggling to avoid relegation for most of the season.
Chelsea may be waiting to appoint a new head coach first
The Blues are currently without a permanent manager, and that may have played a role in the club hesitating to make an offer for El Mala.
In the past, sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Lawrence Stewart may well have sanctioned a bid regardless of the managerial situation, but things are different this time around.
One of the main candidates, Xabi Alonso, is reportedly keen on getting more say on transfer targets, and if the Blues do decide to hand over some power to their next manager, they can’t be making new signings while such talks are ongoing.
Read more about the Chelsea First Team Squad for 2025/26 here
