The German newspaper Bild revealed that Cologne star Said El Mala prefers to leave the Bundesliga if he is to depart his club, ruling out the possibility of the Lebanese-born player leaving the Rhineland-based team before the end of the current season.
The 19-year-old El Mala has emerged as a star this season, earning his first call-up to the German national team and immediately attracting the attention of Bayern Munich.
El Mala has also caught the eye of several major European clubs, most recently the Premier League trio of Manchester United, Manchester City, and Tottenham.
According to Bild, the German player dreams of playing in the English Premier League and could end up there at the start of next season, especially since Premier League clubs are reportedly prepared to pay a substantial fee to acquire him from Cologne.
Cologne have initially set a price tag of between €50 million and €60 million for El Mala, while Bayern Munich are believed to be unwilling to pay more than €30 million, increasing the chances of English clubs securing the player of Arab descent.
Manchester United and Tottenham are reportedly prepared to pay £40 million (approximately €50 million) for El Mala, who has yet to decide which English club he wants to join. He is also being closely monitored by Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.
El Mala has made 16 appearances for Cologne this season, scoring six goals and providing three assists. His contract with the German club runs until the summer of 2030.
