Article by Maria Olteanu – Published on Thursday, 04 June 2026, 21:28 / Updated on Thursday, 04 June 2026 21:29
Said El Mala, the 19-year-old winger from Cologne, was very close to joining Brentford, but the family have also requested the transfer of older brother Malek, 21, which makes the move problematic and uncertain.
What was about to become one of the biggest transfers of this summer could end up being one of the most bizarre stories, all because of a last-minute requirement, according to abola.pt.
Said El Mala, one of the most promising young players of the moment, was on the verge of moving from Cologne to Brentford in a €50 million deal (45 million fixed + 5 million bonuses), but the move is very close to being canceled for an unusual reason.
Parents want to transfer their children “to the package”
According to information from Sky Sports Germany, the family pressured the English club to also transfer the older brother, Malek El Mala, a 21-year-old striker, also from Cologne, valued at 250,000 euros by Transfermarkt, but the team ranked ninth in the Premier League did not give in.
Because of this, the transfer of younger brother Said, a 19-year-old German U21 international winger who missed out on the 2026 World Cup, has stalled and most sources indicate that he will fall through.
Even so, there are other clubs interested, including from England, such as Brighton, who qualified for the UEFA Conference League, or even Bayern.
