FC Köln are not panicking over Said El Mala’s rejection of Brentford, believing that the market will be bigger than the Bees solitary bid.
Come-on-FC report on comments from Köln’s leadership today following a ‘media round’ including club officials on Friday. They’re not concerned about the 19-year-old’s decision to turn down Brentford last week.
The forward is widely expected to leave the Bundesliga club this summer following a breakout year in Germany this season.
Brentford have come the closest to getting a deal done to date. They indicated a willingness to pay Koln’s €50m demands and were in negotiations with the player’s entourage. He is current represented by his mother, who took over his affairs earlier this year.
But she dropped a ‘bombshell’ last week by telling Brentford that the deal wouldn’t be proceeding. Reports have Germany have since indicated that she’s waiting for a bid from Chelsea.
Brentford rejection has not changed Köln’s transfer stance
That could have caused panic at Köln given the figures being quoted. But they are instead playing it cool over the Brentford rejection.
“We are currently in the process of putting together a very, very strong squad with which we will secure our place in the league next season,” said FC President Jörn Stobbe.
“It’s also clear that we at 1. FC Köln aren’t saying we’ll keep all our first-team players. The fact that we have to sell players from time to time is now part of our strategy.
“We will continue to follow a very sound financial path. As a fan, I can well imagine that we’ll keep the brothers with us for another year. But the question is also: what does the player want, what does the family want, and how do we want to take this forward?”
Köln expect wider interest after Brentford approach
His sentiments were echoed by the club’s Chief Financial Officer Philipp Türoff. He believes that other clubs will come calling after Brentford.
“We’re talking about a situation that is strategically clear to us. An approach was already made in June. But following his performances, the market for Said is much bigger than just a single approach,” he added.
“We have every reason to keep a low profile. Just as the family has to decide what is best for Said, so can we, because we are in a strong contractual position and can also develop our own plans should he leave us. That’s the way the game goes, and we will take our time with it.”
He is also insistent that the German club is under no pressure to do a deal this summer. In fact, he insists that the club and Said El Mala’s family are in sync.
“We’re under no pressure to do it. When the time comes to make a decision, and it has to be the right one for the family too. Then we’ll do it,” he insisted.
He would, though, prefer that a deal is not done at the last minute. Although he accepts that is sometimes the way with big transfers such as this one.
“We’re not making up a story that things will come to a head on the final day,” he concluded.
