According to Fussball Daten, Liverpool have joined Newcastle United in the race to sign Koln winger Said El Mala.
The Merseyside giants have already secured a new winger in Victor Munoz. The Spaniard was on course to join the Magpies, but the Reds hijacked the deal at the last hurdle (£34.5 million).
It was predicted that RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande would be their next priority to bolster the wide attacking department, but the Ivorian star has chosen Paris Saint-Germain as his next club.
Fussball Daten now claim that Andoni Iraola’s side have joined the Magpies in the pursuit of El Mala, who could be permitted to leave Koln for a figure of around £43 million this summer.
The Reds have identified him as a ‘Plan B’ solution to strengthen their wide attacking options ahead of next season.
Unlikely deal
El Mala made his Koln debut after their Bundesliga promotion last season. The 19-year-old had an impressive campaign, registering 13 goals and 5 assists from 36 appearances in the division. He averaged only 58 minutes per outing.
The German youth international primarily operated as a left-sided winger with some occasional appearances upfront. He is a player with huge potential, but his positional preference could dampen his prospects of joining the Reds.
The Anfield giants are well-equipped with options on the left side of their attack. They have Cody Gakpo and Rio Ngumoha as solutions alongside summer signing Munoz. The main concern remains on the opposite flank after Mohamed Salah’s exit.
El Mala also prefers to operate from the left flank. He has made just six appearances in his young career from the right wing, scoring 2 goals. Hence, we don’t see the possibility of the Reds pursuing a deal for the highly-rated German ace.
The youngster turned down a move to Brentford recently in search of a more lucrative club. The speculation linking Liverpool could be agent-driven in order to invite offers from top European teams, who may have been monitoring him.
Liverpool are more likely to pursue a marquee solution for the right wing after the setback on Diomande. The Ivorian’s potential move to PSG this summer could pave the way for Bradley Barcola’s exit. The Reds are long-term admirers and could push to sign him instead.
