Said El Mala extends contract with 1. FC Köln until 2031

Said El Mala has signed a contract extension with 1. FC Köln, committing to the club until 2031. The 19-year-old offensive talent ends weeks of transfer speculation involving several major clubs.

Negotiations for a move to Borussia Dortmund reportedly collapsed after Köln's transfer demands, estimated to be around 50 million euros, were not met. Interest from RB Leipzig and English Premier League club Brentford had also been reported.

As part of his new deal, El Mala will take over the prestigious number 10 shirt, the first player at the club to wear it since club icon Lukas Podolski. Following the announcement, 1. FC Köln offered fans the opportunity to exchange existing number 13 jerseys for the new number 10 until September 30, 2026.