Newcastle United are set to compete with Brighton and Hove Albion for the signature of a young Bundesliga star, according to FourFourTwo.
Said El Mala’s performances for FC Köln have caught the eye of the two Premier League clubs.
Chelsea are reportedly also interested in signing the 16-year-old, who is valued at £20m by Fotmob.
Who Is Said El Mala?
El Mala was born in Germany, and is of German and Lebanese descent.
He joined Borussia Mönchengladbach’s academy, but was released when he turned 14.
He moved to Viktoria Köln in 2023, and signed his first professional deal with FC Köln in 2024.
He is a pacy left winger who likes to drive at and dribble past defenders, before cutting inside to shoot or create chances.
His stats this season show why he is attracting so much attention.
He has scored 11 goals in 30 appearances, and his xG is an impressive 9.3. One of his best performances came in a 1-1 draw against Werder Bremen.
He scored Köln’s only goal and was a menace, making five successful dribbles and creating three chances for his teammates (all stats via Sofascore).
He is similar in style to Anthony Gordon. With Gordon rumoured to be exploring his options away from Newcastle, El Mala could be a future replacement, or a decent backup if Gordon stays.
Are Newcastle Copying Brighton’s Homework?
Newcastle’s recent transfer policy has been to scour the world for the best young talent.
They seem to be following in Brighton’s footsteps by concentrating their search on South America.
They recently signed 16-year-old Ecuadorian winger Johan Martinez from Independiente del Valle, a player that the Seagulls had been courting.
Martinez will join next year when he turns 18, and will join other promising youngsters like Antonio Cordero and Seung-soo Park.
Where Newcastle and Brighton’s approaches differ is that Newcastle tend to sign young players for their academy, while Brighton seem more willing to take a chance by integrating them into the first team.
The youth approach is one that has worked well for Brighton, and Newcastle will hope it pays off for them too.
Caroline Dowse
Aspiring football journalist, and Newcastle United fan, although I also write about Peterborough United. I write for Vital Football and The Lower Tiers, and I live just outside Peterborough with two bossy cats