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It has become the worst-kept secret in football that, in addition to strengthening their midfield, Manchester United will also be looking for a left winger this summer.
When putting together Ruben Amorim’s dream team, the club made a glaring blunder. By letting Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho leave, United essentially abandoned all their natural left-wing options. The result was a roster imbalance they couldn’t ignore.
Recruiting a good left winger has therefore become a necessity. Among the players linked is FC Köln’s Said El Mala, one of the best players in the Bundesliga.
El Mala: the target
At just 19 years old, El Mala has already built a reputation as an explosive, direct winger. A winger whose elite dribbling speed and one-on-one physicality are exactly the qualities United crave.
Interestingly, INEOS showed no intention of moving for him in January, perhaps because changes in United’s technical position disrupted mid-season transfer plans.
Brighton’s bid
It was Brighton & Hove Albion who tested Cologne’s resolve in the winter period with a £26 million offer.
The offer was rejected, leaving El Mala at the RheinEnergieSTADIUM, but only for the time being. Reports indicate his stay may not last longer than the summer.
A frustrated El Mala
According to Football transfersciting Bild, El Mala has become increasingly frustrated with his situation in Cologne.
“El Mala’s relationship with head coach Lukas Kwasniok has become frosty. The 44-year-old was very protective of the teenager, but the player now feels that the coach’s behavior has become overbearing.”
While Kwasniok insists that the youngster still has a lot of fine-tuning to do before he is given greater responsibility, El Mala thinks differently. He feels ready to shine and resents being held back.
And his situation is well understood: despite being called Cologne’s most talented and reliable striker, he has played just nine Bundesliga games. His return of seven goals and two assists underlines his influence, but he still feels undervalued, and here’s why:
“El Mala, it is alleged, informed Cologne’s hierarchy of this state of affairs during the January window and concluded that he would like to leave the club in the summer if the situation does not improve,” the report said.
United on red alert
Such developments will undoubtedly put INEOS on red alert.
United have scouted El Mala thoroughly and are putting him high on their left-wing shortlist.
It is unlikely that they will pass up the opportunity to secure one of Germany’s most exciting talents.
As a result, Brighton must brace themselves for a summer transfer battle.
With a move by Yan Diomande proving to be complicated, El Mala could become the perfect alternative for the 20-time English champions.
Feature image Alexander Hassenstein via Getty Images
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