1. FC Köln is believed to be missing out on record-breaking income for now, and as a result, club officials are reportedly frustrated with their young prospect, Said El Mala.

The 19-year-old forward is said to have rejected a proposal from Brentford FC last week, even though an agreement had already been reached between the English Premier League side and Köln for a summer move. According to the Express, El Mala’s refusal has left the German club’s leadership “astonished.”

If the transfer had gone through, Köln would have secured a remarkable €50 million fee—comprising €45 million up front and €5 million in easily attainable add-ons. The club had never before received such a large amount for a single player, and reports suggest they had also negotiated a 15% share of any future resale. Sporting director Thomas Kessler had reportedly approved the arrangement.

El Mala was expected to sign a contract with Brentford lasting until 2030, earning around €4 million annually. Although the deadline was set for Friday, the move was reportedly called off earlier by the player’s camp, led by his mother and main negotiator, Sabrina El Mala. Sky has speculated that the youngster may be waiting for an offer from a more prominent club. His future is now described as “completely open,” with rumours circulating that a potential switch to Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund (BVB) could be back on the cards.

The proposed deal would have broken records for both clubs: El Mala’s transfer would have surpassed Anthony Modeste’s €29 million move to TJ Quanjian in 2018 as Köln’s most profitable sale, while also exceeding Dango Ouattara’s €42.8 million switch from Bournemouth to Brentford as the Bees’ most expensive acquisition.

El Mala remains under contract with 1. FC Köln until 2030.

The striker’s withdrawal from the deal has reportedly affected Köln’s preparations for the upcoming season. According to Express, the club’s management has been “deeply unsettled” by the development. The Bundesliga outfit now faces a summer rebuild, with several first-team players likely to move on. The major funds expected from El Mala’s transfer could have allowed Köln to strengthen their squad in a more strategic way.

The club is also worried that El Mala, despite being under contract until 2030, might continue to delay his decision and only consider leaving towards the end of the transfer window. This could force Köln to accept a lower transfer fee and leave them short of time to find replacements.

El Mala’s impressive debut season in the Bundesliga attracted attention from more than just Brentford. Bayern Munich had been monitoring the youngster for some time, while Brighton & Hove Albion—coached by German manager Fabian Hürzeler—were also considered front-runners. However, the Seagulls reportedly refused to match Köln’s €50 million valuation, setting their own spending cap at €35 million.

Said El Mala was left out of Germany’s World Cup squad despite his breakout season.

In his debut campaign, El Mala was a standout for the Effzeh, playing a crucial role in helping the club avoid relegation. He started all 34 Bundesliga matches, scoring 13 goals and providing five assists. Despite his performances, he did not make it into Germany’s World Cup team.

“He had a very strong second half of the season and performed extremely well,” said national team coach Julian Nagelsmann during the squad announcement press conference at the end of May. He elaborated on his decision by adding, “Of course, he fits perfectly with Köln’s playing style. The question was whether he’s ready for our system at a higher attacking intensity. If you look at Köln’s heatmap, it’s situated quite close to their own goal.”

Even after Lennart Karl suffered an injury just before the tournament, El Mala was still not included. Instead, Nagelsmann opted to bring in RB Leipzig’s Assan Ouedraogo as a replacement.