Brighton have a unique plan to beat Premier League rivals in the race to land Said El Mala by making the transfer a family affair.
The Seagulls' lauded recruitment model earmarked the 19-year-old in Germany’s third division last summer - and have since watched him blossom into one of the Bundesliga's biggest breakout stars.
Said El Mala in action for FC in the Bundesliga
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El Mala ended a run of six games without a goal contribution by scoring and assisting in the 2-2 draw with HoffenheimCredit: Getty
His form for Köln, aka Cologne, earned him his first international call-up in November after just over 501 top-flight minutes.
Brighton remain interested in the five-cap Germany U21 star, who has also attracted interest from Manchester United and Tottenham.
However, Fabian Hürzeler's side hope to have the edge on the Premier League's 'big six' by signing El Mala's brother Malek as well.
Said El Mala transfer latest
talkSPORT's chief football correspondent, Alex Crook, told Matterface and Jordan: "This is a really interesting one. It was reported in The Times. I've tried to do some digging on it this morning, and there does seem to be some substance to it.
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"Said El Mala, who was playing in the German third tier for his local club only last season, he's now starring in the Bundesliga.
"He's got an outside chance, apparently, of making Germany's World Cup squad.
"He's the perfect profile for Brighton and their data models. So they're interested not only in him, but in his brother Malek.
"And I think they're looking to potentially sign both of them, hoping that getting Malek would persuade Said to join them.
"So, yeah, I mean, it looks like a good signing on paper for Brighton."
Said El Mala in action for FC Köln in the Bundesliga
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El Mala has started just two of the past five Bundesliga games despite being the club's top goalscorerCredit: AFP
Brighton interested in signing Said El Mala's brother Malek as well
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His brother Malek is currently playing for Köln’s reserve team in the fourth divisionCredit: Shutterstock
Brighton's recruitment model
The south coast outfit's transfer strategy has often been labelled as the blueprint for English clubs in discovering hidden gems.
Nine of the club's top 10 most expensive sales have been to Premier League rivals, and all have come within the past four and a half years.
Yet there has been little evidence to suggest that Brighton's recent crop will generate a Moises Caicedo or Joao Pedro type profit.
During the Seagulls' 2-0 win over Brentford, only two of the nine players who arrived in Hürzeler's first summer started - while his three most expensive signings were all unused substitutes.
Crook added: "I would argue one of the issues they've had this season is they've not probably invested enough in experienced players.
Brighton to Chelsea transfers stats
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Chelsea have paid Brighton nearly £300m in transfers over the last three years
Said El Mala celebration in the Bundesliga
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The Blues are among the potential suitors for El Mala as wellCredit: Getty
"And we saw at the weekend that they put the experienced heads back in the team. James Milner, at the age of 40, breaking the Premier League appearance record.
"And they've picked up a good 2-0 win at Brentford.
"So I think they'll keep investing in young players, but I think they're aware they need that experience as well."
Who is Said El Mala?
Brighton's proposed plan for the teenager mirrors the one taken by Köln themselves when they landed El Mala and his older brother, Malek, from city rivals Viktoria Köln in 2024.
Atransfer banmeant the siblings were sent back on loan to the German third-tier side last season, where Said particularly flourished.
Said El Mala stats in the Bundesliga 2025/2026 so far this season
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El Mala is understandably frustrated by his limited playing time
Said El Mala with FC Köln head coach Lukas Kwasniok
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Köln head coach Lukas Kwasniok prefers to use his top goalscorer as an impact subCredit: Getty
The younger El Mala scored 13 goals en route to being named the 3. Liga Newcomer of the Season, and Brighton soon made their move.
Köln, who had already missed out on a bumper payday when Bayer Leverkusen poached an emergingFlorian Wirtz, resisted the interest.
That decision looked inspired when El Mala scored six goals and registered three assists during his first 13 senior Bundesliga matches.
However, the 6ft 2in winger has completed 90 minutes in Germany's top-flight just twice in the 10 gameweeks since.
European football expert Andy Brassell exclusively told talkSPORT.com: "It's been difficult for him to kick on, actually.
"He's almost become a hub of a bit of a culture war in Cologne, because as they've started to struggle a little bit, Lukas Kwasniok, the coach, has sometimes not started El Mala.
"That is something that has deeply angered a lot of fans, both online and in the stadium, and it's been difficult for people to understand.
"Cologne has not had a lot of players that you can say are superstars and really get you out of your seat. El Mala is that.
Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Man City and Liverpool all chase Said El Mala transfer
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European expert Brassell speaking to talkSPORT on El Mala before Christmas
'They want to sell him for maximum value'
"He gets the ball, and he goes past players. He's an incredibly direct winger. He's able to contribute goals, and he's done that.
"Really good teams like Bayern Munich have struggled to handle him this season. And he scored at Hoffenheim at the weekend with that sort of pace, that directness, that ability to make decisions at pace and the ability to execute at pace.
"In the last couple of weeks, a lot of local media speculation has been saying, well, he'll definitely be gone at the end of the year because he doesn't feel like he's playing enough, which is really sad.
Said El Mala challenging England's Ethan Nwaneri
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El Mala - pictured challenging England’s Ethan Nwaneri at Under 19 level - looked good value to force his way into Germany's World Cup squadCredit: Getty
Said El Mala in action for FC Köln
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He looks increasingly likely to leave the club this summerCredit: Getty
"El Mala needs to play. The club needs him to play to keep his value up because when they sell him, they want to sell him for maximum value. They can only sell him once.
"And I think the fans really want to be bathing in his brilliance until the moment that he goes. And so they should.
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"He would have been a Germany World Cup wildcard. But because he's not started as much recently and Kwasniok has always been a little bit reticent to start him, I think he's less and less likely to make the final squad, even with enlarged squads going into the World Cup, which would be a shame.
"I'd love to see him do it for Germany, just as I would like to see him play for Cologne every week until such times as he gets sold on."