Report: Borussia Dortmund withdraws from poker for Said El Mala

Who is Said El Mala?

Why Dortmund is now withdrawing from the talks has not been conclusively clarified according to the reporting media. Both sporting reasons and a transfer demand considered too high are said to be in question.

1. FC Köln is said to be insisting on a significant transfer fee for the attacking player, whom the club itself brought through from its own youth setup and via the second team Viktoria Köln into the professional squad. According to the report, no agreement was reached on the amount of the demand.

With the exit from the negotiations, BVB says it is refocusing on other candidates for the attack. It remains open whether the club will contact Köln again in the remaining weeks of the transfer window.

Lars Ricken's role in the transfer poker

For Köln, the breakdown means that the club can likely continue to deploy El Mala in its own first team in the coming seasons – or else will have to look for other interested parties.

In the coming days, both clubs are expected to comment on the reports. So far, neither Borussia Dortmund nor 1. FC Köln has officially confirmed or commented on the withdrawal.

The matter comes at a time when the Bundesliga as a whole is experiencing an intense phase of transfers, with several clubs competing for young German attacking talents.

Reactions and next steps

Observers interpret BVB's move as a signal that the club has set clear limits on its financial ideas for El Mala and is willing to forgo a transfer rather than blow its own budget planning.

The Köln striker himself has not publicly commented on the speculation surrounding his person so far.

For coach Niko Kovač's sporting planning, the development means that Dortmund will continue to examine alternatives in assembling its squad for the new season.