• Dortmund ends el mala pursuit

  Dortmund has dramatically concluded its pursuit of Cologne’s promising talent, Said El Mala. This development comes after the Bundesliga club’s substantial offer, reportedly exceeding €50 million, was turned down by their domestic rivals.

  The final proposal was presented recently to Cologne’s sporting director, Thomas Kessler, by Dortmund’s executives, Lars Ricken and Ole Book. However, an agreement could not be reached between the clubs, leading Dortmund to withdraw entirely from discussions. This significant turn of events closes one of the summer’s most prominent transfer sagas, with the player now expected to remain with his current club for the upcoming season.

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• Ricken confirms total transfer failure

  Dortmund’s managing director for sport, Lars Ricken, has publicly verified that the club will no longer be seeking to acquire the gifted young player. He provided absolute clarity regarding the collapsed transfer.

  “Said El Mala is not a Borussia Dortmund player and will not become one this summer,” Ricken unequivocally stated. “We engaged in transparent discussions with 1. FC Köln’s leadership over the past few days, but they declined our ultimate proposal. Consequently, Borussia Dortmund will not put forward another offer and will not continue to pursue the player’s transfer.”

• Bonus structure proved highly problematic

  While the overall financial package presented was undeniably attractive, the specific structure of the proposed deal ultimately led to the breakdown of negotiations. Reports suggest that Dortmund’s initial transfer fee was approximately €46 million.

  With the inclusion of various performance-related bonuses, the total valuation would have slightly surpassed Cologne’s €50 million asking price, potentially reaching between €52 million and €53 million. However, Cologne expressed significant dissatisfaction with the stringent conditions attached to these potential incentives.

  The proposed bonuses were structured over an exceptionally long timeframe and were heavily contingent on the player achieving a substantial number of first-team appearances, meaning Cologne lacked any genuine financial assurance.

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• El mala expected to remain at cologne

  With Dortmund’s definitive withdrawal from negotiations, Said El Mala is now set to continue his immediate development at Cologne. The highly promising young talent will now fully concentrate on the forthcoming season alongside his current teammates.

  Cologne’s resolute stance in the transfer market underscores its clear intent to control the terms of any significant player departure. The club successfully maintained its position regarding the precise payment structure for its €50 million valuation. Meanwhile, Dortmund’s scouting department must now pivot towards alternative targets, as the club management assesses other options to strengthen their squad before the summer transfer window officially closes.

By Ousmane Tandja — Senior correspondent