Borussia Dortmund has dramatically withdrawn from the race to sign Cologne’s highly promising talent, Said El Mala. This significant development follows the rejection of a massive transfer offer, valued at over €50 million, by their domestic rivals.

The final proposition was presented to Cologne’s sporting director, Thomas Kessler, by Dortmund executives Lars Ricken and Ole Book in recent days. However, the clubs failed to reach a comprehensive agreement, prompting Dortmund to completely exit the negotiation table. This major turn of events brings an end to one of the most significant transfer sagas of the summer, with the player now expected to remain with his current club for the upcoming season.

Dortmund’s managing director for sport, Lars Ricken, has publicly confirmed that the club will no longer pursue the talented youngster. He provided a clear statement regarding the aborted transfer.

“Said El Mala is not a Borussia Dortmund player and will not become one this summer,” Ricken confirmed. “We engaged in open discussions with the management of 1. FC Köln over the past few days, but they rejected our final offer. Borussia Dortmund will not submit another offer and will not pursue the player’s transfer further.”

While the overall financial package presented was highly lucrative, the proposed deal’s bonus structure ultimately led to the collapse of negotiations. The base transfer fee offered by Dortmund reportedly stood around €46 million.

With the inclusion of various performance-related bonuses, the total package would have slightly exceeded Cologne’s €50 million valuation, reaching an estimated €52 million to €53 million. However, Cologne remained completely dissatisfied with the stringent conditions attached to these potential bonuses.

The proposed bonuses were structured over a particularly long period and were heavily contingent on the player achieving a high number of first-team appearances. This meant Cologne lacked any genuine financial guarantees from the deal.

Following Dortmund’s definitive withdrawal from negotiations, Said El Mala will now continue his immediate development at FC Cologne. The highly promising young talent is now expected to fully concentrate on the upcoming season alongside his current teammates.

Cologne’s firm stance in the transfer market clearly demonstrates their resolve to dictate the terms of any major player departure. The club successfully maintained its position regarding the precise payment structure for its €50 million valuation. Meanwhile, Dortmund’s recruitment team must now pivot towards alternative targets should they wish to strengthen their squad before the official closure of the summer transfer window.