Liverpool are in the market for one of Europe's most exciting wingers. This would be amazing.
Yan Diomande is at the top of Liverpool's shopping list this summer. He isn't, however, a nailed-on signing.
For one, RB Leipzig want over €100m for the player. Liverpool have offered that, per the Athletic, but it was rejected. They're now deciding whether it's worth paying more than they planned in order to land Diomande.
Should they decide that no, he isn't, there are other options available and the Athletic name a fair few. None, though, are a more exciting prospect than Said El Mala.
El Mala has flown a little under the radar because of Diomande. He's the 'other' standout teenage winger in the Bundesliga, only he's a little more raw and at a worse performing club, FC Koln.
He was one of the most exciting players in Europe, scoring 13 times from the wing and assisting another four. Both figures were highs for Koln as El Mala was their leading scorer and joint-leading for assists.
The teenager is unquestionably one of the brightest prospects in European football right now. So much so that we can't imagine Liverpool would be too disappointed if they ended up with El Mala after all of this.
His potential is enormous and should only rise in a squad that takes a little bit of responsibility off of him as the main output. You'd think he'd find playing with someone like Florian Wirtz to be an absolute dream, for instance, let alone with Milos Kerkez on the overlap.
This is one to watch, then. It seems highly likely that someone pays an awful lot of money to sign El Mala this summer. It may well end up being Liverpool.
Köln Career and Performance
As of 23 June 2026, Saïd El Mala is an 18-year-old winger for 1. FC Köln. After bursting onto the scene at Viktoria Köln, the electric forward secured a high-profile move to the Billy Goats in the summer of 2024 before spending the subsequent season back on loan to continue his development. Known for his explosive acceleration, direct dribbling style, and tactical flexibility across the front line, El Mala enjoyed a highly productive 2025/26 campaign. He established himself as a regular starter in Germany, accumulating 32 appearances and contributing seven goals to help push his side up the domestic standings.
International Status and World Cup Involvement
El Mala is a prominent German youth international, heavily involved with the Under-19 national team setup. Given his young age and development stage, he was not selected for the senior Germany squad competing at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
