Brighton are reportedly pushing behind the scenes to sign Koln youngster Said El Mala in a bid to fend off competition ahead of the summer transfer window.
The Seagulls have been long-term admirers of the winger and had a bid worth between £21million and £25m plus add-ons rejected by the German club towards the end of the January window. It was also reported that Albion had a bid rejected for his older brother, Malek El Mala.
According to BILD, Brighton have been offered hope in their pursuit of the German as the forward is growing frustrated with his lack of minutes.
El Mala has started just nine of this season’s 22 Bundesliga games so far and feels that he isn’t being given his desired and promised game time. In the Billy Goats’ last fixture, he played only 22 minutes in a 3-1 loss to Stuttgart, which leaves them just six points above the drop zone.
Koln manager Lukas Kwasniok has continued to persist with other options, such as Jakub Kaminski, Eric Martel and Marius Bulter, who are all on a run of 11 games without a goal contribution.
Kwasniok’s continued refusal to give El Mala starting opportunities is likely to make a future at the German club seem extremely undesirable for the 19-year-old.
It’s said that Brighton are ‘giving the gas in the fight’ for El Mala and are pushing for a ‘quick decision’ due to how rival suitors have also seen their chances of securing his services drastically improve in recent weeks.
Following their January rejection, the Seagulls are now said to be preparing an improved offer in the hope of striking an agreement sooner rather than later.
The player himself has already said he can see himself making a move to the Sussex coast and believes his future is away from his boyhood club, which is likely to force Koln to cut their previous asking price of £43m.
Whilst the winger has a long-term contract with the club until 2030, with no release clause, it is said to be a matter of time before he departs, with the only remaining question being his price tag.