FC Köln sporting director Thomas Kessler has hit back at claims over Said El Mala as Chelsea are consistently linked with the 19-year-old.
Kolner Stadt-Anzeiger report on the Köln star today, including comments from Kessler, who appears to be growing frustrated with the consistent transfer rumours.
Chelsea efforts cause frustration
Reports have repeatedly linked Chelsea with a move for Said El Mala over the last few weeks. These have come from both Germany and England.
A report from Germany last month stated that the Blues had held concrete talks about signing El Mala this summer.
A second report followed that a week later insisting that Chelsea were ready to smash the asking price to secure El Mala’s signature ahead of the competition. Kessler though, insists that is not the case.
“We maintain a very reliable and close relationship with Said and his family,” he said.
“As of now, we have not received any offers from other clubs that we need to seriously consider. The player has also not expressed any desire to enter into discussions with other clubs.”
He then went further, pushing back on suggestions that El Mala is being positioned for a Premier League switch:
“Said has made it unequivocally clear that his full focus is currently on his development at FC Köln and the season,” he added.
No agent mandate
Reports in England had suggested that ‘super-agent’ Ali Barat had been acting on behalf of Köln to place Said El Mala on the Premier League market.
Barat has strong links to England and indeed Chelsea. He negotiated Nicolas Jackson’s move from Stamford Bridge to Bayern Munich last summer.
Kolner Stadt-Anzeiger report that this is not the case, though. They state that club sources are insisting that Köln have not authorised Barat or any other intermediary to represent them in a potential sale.
The German side are refusing to be rushed into any summer narrative either way. Kessler is making that point crystal clear.
“The ball is in 1. FC Köln’s court. Said is under contract with us until 2030,” he concluded.