Manchester United reportedly have an interest in FC Koln star Said El Mala who was apparently close to moving to the Premier League in the summer
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim
Manchester United are braced for a potential transfer battle(Image: Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)
View 2 Images
Manchester United have reportedly shown an interest in one of the Bundesliga's rising stars as the January transfer window approaches. Tottenham Hotspur are also mentioned as being a potential destination for the same player, and could provide competition for Ruben Amorim's side.
FC Koln star Said El Mala has been identified as a possible target for United as the New Year fast approaches.
Tottenham are also believed to be in the running, with German publication SportBild reporting that both United and Spurs have approached the Bundesliga club about potentially signing the talented 19-year-old.
Recent reports suggest that Koln would value El Mala at approximately €60million (£52.7m) if they were to consider selling him during the summer transfer window. Both United and Tottenham are reportedly prepared to pay up to €40million (£35m) for El Mala, while Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona and Bayern Munich are also mentioned as interested parties in recent weeks.
Whether any firm interest will materialise in January remains to be seen, but El Mala is tipped to be one of the most promising talents currently playing in the Bundesliga, reports the Mirror.
The teenager has already caught the attention of Premier League clubs, with Brighton reportedly showing interest last summer and rumoured to have had an offer turned down. It has been suggested that the bid was around €10million (£8.8m).
Last week, Lionel Souque, a member of the supervisory board at Koln, revealed that Brighton's owner, Tony Bloom, had approached him regarding a potential summer deal for El Mala.
"Through a friend at the carnival, the owner of the club [Bloom] had my mobile number, called me and tried to see if he had a chance through me, after it didn't work out through management," Souque said on the OMR podcast.
Said El Mala
Said El Mala is one of Germany's current most-exciting prospects
View 2 Images
"I told him: 'I'm glad we’re talking, but I'm a fruit and vegetable vendor, you're apparently a poker player - there's no way we’re going to negotiate.' He didn’t find that funny.
"Thomas Kessler (Koln sporting director) decides, not me. And I strongly suspect that the club will initially focus on such a great young player."
El Mala, who can operate anywhere along the forward line, has primarily been deployed on the left wing for Koln this season. The Germany Under-21 international has netted six goals and provided three assists in just 14 appearances so far this campaign.
Here at The Manchester Evening News, we are dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester United coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don't miss out on the latest United news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day's biggest stories.
And, finally, if you would rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Manchester is Red podcast. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.