Borussia Dortmund's Fourth Bid for Said El Mala Rejected by FC Köln

Borussia Dortmund has seen their fourth offer for German attacking prospect Said El Mala turned down by FC Köln, even with the proposed total package exceeding €55 million. According to reports from Sky Germany, BVB presented their latest offer on Wednesday evening. This proposal included a guaranteed fee under €50 million, along with several easily attainable bonuses that could elevate the overall transfer sum beyond €55 million.

Furthermore, Köln's Geißblog has indicated that Dortmund's most recent attempt to secure El Mala's signature incorporated a sell-on clause. However, this inclusion was not enough to sway Köln. Both Geißblog and the local tabloid Express have reported that Köln rejected the offer, maintaining their stance that they expect a guaranteed base fee of at least €50 million, independent of any bonuses or future resale percentages.

This development clarifies the situation following Dortmund's intensified efforts. Earlier this week, Get German Football News reported that BVB was preparing a package valued at approximately €55 million for El Mala. Sky's earlier information suggested Dortmund's intention was to offer €50 million guaranteed plus an additional €5 million in bonuses. The structure of the offer ultimately submitted appears to have differed, with the fixed component still falling short of Köln's desired threshold.

Despite this, Dortmund has significantly increased their commitment compared to their previous rejected €45 million package, which comprised €37 million guaranteed and €8 million in bonuses. The core of the disagreement remains unchanged.

Borussia Dortmund is willing to assemble a complete package that comfortably surpasses €50 million. However, FC Köln continues to insist that the €50 million must be the guaranteed transfer fee itself before they will consider sanctioning El Mala's departure.