Borussia Dortmund walk away from €50m Said El Mala deal after Köln reject offer

Borussia Dortmund have pulled out of the race to sign Said El Mala after FC Köln rejected a transfer offer worth more than €50 million, according to BILD. Dortmund's final proposal was presented to Köln sporting director Thomas Kessler by club executives Lars Ricken and Ole Book in recent days, but the two sides could not reach agreement.

Dortmund's managing director of sport Ricken confirmed the collapse directly, telling Funke Mediengruppe that "Said El Mala is not a Borussia Dortmund player and will not become one" this summer, and that the club would not return with another bid, as reported by Goal.com.

BILD reports the base fee in Dortmund's offer was around €46 million, with add-ons pushing the total package to an estimated €52-53 million, above Köln's own €50 million valuation. The issue, according to the same report, was the structure of those bonuses. They were said to be spread over a long period and heavily tied to first-team appearances, leaving Köln without the financial certainty they wanted.

With Dortmund now out of the picture, El Mala stays at Köln for the season. Dortmund's recruitment staff are expected to turn to other targets before the window closes.