Jurgen Klopp, the new manager of the German national team, has categorically denied rumors claiming he intervened to persuade Köln winger Said El Mala to move to Borussia Dortmund during the current summer transfer window.
The reports provoked Klopp’s displeasure, given his historic ties to Dortmund, which he managed between 2008 and 2015. He clarified that his new position does not allow him to steer players toward specific clubs.
During a press conference for the German Football Association (DFB), Klopp stated: “I felt a bit insulted because some people think I am stupid enough to call a player, as my first official step, and tell him: ‘Dortmund suits you!’ Of course, I didn’t do that; that is not my job.”
He added: “If I work with a player for a longer period in the future, and he comes to me asking for advice, I will give him some tips. But that will not be influenced by whether I previously worked at the club or not.”
The German coach continued: “It is always about the player. Said El Mala is certainly a nice young man, but of course, we did not discuss that.”
Klopp’s comments come following the collapse of negotiations for Said El Mala’s transfer to Dortmund, despite the German club reaching an agreement in principle with the player on a five-year contract and the 19-year-old winger’s desire to finalize the deal.
The transfer fell through due to a financial dispute between the two clubs. Köln insisted on a guaranteed €50 million, while Dortmund’s final offer amounted to a fixed fee of €46 million, payable in three installments, alongside bonuses that could have pushed the total deal to over €50 million.
Köln rejected the fourth and final bid, prompting Dortmund to officially announce its withdrawal from negotiations without making a new offer. Earlier bids had already angered Köln officials due to the low guaranteed amounts and the difficult conditions attached to some of the bonuses.
Said El Mala is considered one of the most prominent rising talents in German football. He scored 13 goals and provided 4 assists in 34 Bundesliga matches for Köln last season, which emboldened his club to take a firm stance on its financial demands.
