Brighton and Hove Albion may have a double advantage over Borussia Dortmund in the race for Said El-Mala this summer.
That’s at least if BILD’s latest report is anything to go by. The German newspaper report that Dortmund are interested in the 19-year-old again, but with caveats.
According to their information, Dortmund have been closely monitoring the FC Cologne star for months. A possible summer transfer is being discussed internally. They’ll get to see him up close and personal when the two sides meet this weekend.
A summer move is looking likely for the youngster, who appears ready to move on after establishing himself at Cologne.
€50m asking price
The Bundesliga side, for their part, are now demanding €50m plus bonuses for their man. The January transfer window already saw them rejecting a €30m offer from Brighton.
The Seagulls are long-term admirers and seemingly determined to sign El-Mala before anyone else. Sport Witness covered a report last month stating they were taking the initiative to get a deal done.
Now Dortmund are in the mix, but there are roadblocks for them. Chief among them is the fact that they can only afford El-Mala if they sell star players likes Karim Adeyemi and Felix Nmecha.
Coach Niko Kovač would also need to change his system as well. And there’s also the fact that Dortmund rejected a deal for El-Mala in the past. He had a medical scheduled at the club, but they refused to sign his older brother Malek so the deal fell through.
Brighton advantage
This is where Brighton may have the advantage. Not only are they more financially secure than Dortmund, and perhaps willing and capable of paying €50m, but they have also shown a willingness to sign his brother.
Indeed, a report on February 17th explained that their offer for him in January included a deal to sign his brother. The Seagulls seemingly have no issue with that particular demand. Thus, they could have the advantage on Dortmund.
A move to the German side makes sense, though. It would allow El-Mala to play in the Champions League, develop at the highest level and triple his salary overnight. Brighton will need to convince him otherwise.
