Major shock after BVB "drama"! Said El Mala announces surprise decision on his future

After weeks of speculation over a club switch, Said El Mala will remain at 1. FC Köln and has extended his contract with the Bundesliga club.

The 19-year-old has now committed to FC until 2031, the club announced on Thursday evening. Borussia Dortmund had tracked the attacking star for a long time, but never met the fee demanded by Cologne and eventually pulled out of the talks. That then sparked speculation over a move to RB Leipzig.

"Of course I thought about my future," El Mala said in the club statement: "But the talks with those responsible at FC were top, I feel huge trust and great appreciation here. That's why I'm staying here - I want to have a good season with FC and our fans."

From next season, El Mala will wear the number 10 shirt, as he also announced in a staged video message a few minutes before the press release appeared. He is the first FC player since Lukas Podolski to take that number.

Does Said El Mala now have a release clause?

FC gave no details on a possible release clause in the new contract. The previous deal, which ran until 2030, did not include one, allowing Cologne to negotiate freely. A minimum asking price of 50 million euros was consistently reported.

In summer 2024, FC signed El Mala from Viktoria Cologne, but he still played for the third-division side the following season. He then produced 13 goals and 5 assists for FC in his first Bundesliga season.