Teenage talent Said El Mala has emerged as a potential transfer target for Nottingham Forest.
The Reds are among the clubs keen on the 19-year-old, according to TEAMtalk. However, they are likely to face a fight to secure the youngster’s signature.
Forest and Newcastle United have been “in active contact with representatives” as they monitor El Mala’s situation. Both sides are said to be “exploring creative solutions” to a possible sticking point in any deal.
The player’s parents are reportedly keen for any suitors to give consideration to also signing El Mala’s 21-year-old brother Malek, who is also at Cologne but is yet to make a senior appearance. It is claimed the Bees were reluctant to sign both players, with German newspaper Bild (via talkSPORT) suggesting the total package would have cost in the region of £43 million.
Other admirers are apparently not deterred. El Mala is said to have “major interest” from other Bundesliga clubs as well as from Serie A, while he also has a new contract offer on the table from Cologne.
The season just gone proved to be a breakthrough one for the German, who has represented his country at various age group levels including the Under-21s. He scored 13 goals in 34 Bundesliga appearances, making the starting XI on 20 occasions.
Cologne’s managing director for sport, Thomas Kessler, confirmed an offer for the wide man – believed to be that from Brentford – had been rejected. In an interview with Bild (relayed by One Football), he said: “It is true that we received an offer for Said.
“The financial dimension was very close to the conditions under which we would generally have considered a transfer. After careful consideration, however, Said decided against a move to this club. That ended the matter for us.”
Forest have made signing young players with the potential to improve and increase in value a key part of their transfer strategy in recent windows. Striking the right balance between youth and experience in head coach Vitor Pereira’s squad will be important for the coming campaign.
Strengthening out wide was a top priority for the Reds last summer. They lost Anthony Elanga to Newcastle but brought in Omari Hutchinson, Dan Ndoye and Dilane Bakwa. However, the trio found the going tough during their first year on the banks of the Trent.
Pereira has said the Forest dressing room requires only minimal tweaking ahead of the 2026/27 season. Nevertheless, it is an important transfer window for the club as they aim to challenge for European football next term.
