Proposed record transfer collapses as Said El Mala turns down Brentford

Said El Mala was expected to leave 1. FC Köln this summer after one season, but a proposed record transfer has now fallen through. Bild said Köln had decided to accept FC Brentford's €50 million offer — €45m up front with €5m in add-ons, a 15% sell-on clause, a contract until 2030 and a €4m-per-year salary — yet the player's camp subsequently changed its stance and the move was withdrawn.

Brentford had reportedly been sweetening the deal with an XXL commission for the family, but Sky said the family turned the offer down as El Mala may be holding out for a bid from a bigger club. The proposed deal would have set records for both clubs, replacing Anthony Modeste as Köln's biggest sale and eclipsing Dango Ouattara as Brentford's largest signing.

It remains unclear whether the future of his brother Malek influenced the collapse. The brothers are close and moved together from Viktoria Köln to Effzeh; Malek now features for the club's second string.

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