Liverpool, Chelsea, Man United to battle for Bundesliga sensation

Soccer Football – Bundesliga – FC Cologne v Hamburg SV – RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne, Germany – November 2, 2025 FC Cologne's Said El Mala celebrates scoring their third goal REUTERS/Thilo Schmuelgen DFL REGULATIONS PROHIBIT ANY USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AS IMAGE SEQUENCES AND/OR QUASI-VIDEO.

Liverpool, Manchester United, and Chelsea are keeping tabs on young FC Koln winger Said El Mala. El Mala has been one of the Bundesliga’s breakout stars this season, with four goals and two assists in nine appearances.

The 19-year-old came through the youth ranks at Borussia Monchengladbach before joining TSV Meerbusch and Viktoria Koln. He moved from Viktoria Koln to FC Koln in 2024, but was loaned back to the former for the 2024/25 campaign.

He officially joined FC Koln ahead of the current 2025/26 season, signing a long term deal with the club over the summer that runs until 2030. He has impressed during his debut Bundesliga season, catching the eye of many European heavyweights.

El Mala is a German international at the under-21 level, and has been tipped by many for a senior call up in the next few years.

While a January move is unlikely, Football Insider has reported that increased interest from Premier League clubs will make it increasingly difficult for FC Koln to keep hold of the player.

Liverpool have reportedly started their search for a long term replacement for Mohamed Salah. Salah hasn’t looked his prolific best this season, and the Reds hierarchy are understood to be in the early phases of recruiting potential successors.

Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo and Fulham’s Kevin are some of the names also appreciated by the Reds. Chelsea were one of the summer’s biggest spenders after a massive outlay of over £282m. Despite the likes of Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, Estevao Willian, and Jamie Gittens all joining as attacking reinforcements, the Blues are believed to be ready to enter the market once more.

United also spent heavily on attacking reinforcements over the summer. The Red Devils spent nearly £215m to sign Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin Sesko, but are prepared to shuffle the deck once more.

Marcus Rashford, Rasmus Hojlund, and Jadon Sancho all departed the club on loans that are likely to become permanent, while Joshua Zirkzee is seeking an exit to gain more first team minutes. It is likely United will have holes in the attacking areas of the squad to fill over the summer.

Nadji is a football writer with over 10 years of experience covering the Premier League. His work has been featured on Football Fancast, Arsenal-Mania, and Arsenal.com, where he has built a reputation for delivering sharp analysis, engaging storytelling, and in-depth coverage of the game.