Liverpool have entered the race to sign Koln winger Said El Mala, joining Premier League rivals Newcastle United in pursuit of the teenager.
According to Fussball Daten, the Merseyside club have identified El Mala as a contingency option to strengthen their wide attacking department ahead of next season.
The 19-year-old could be available for a fee of around £43 million this summer, with Koln reportedly willing to sanction his departure at that price.
Liverpool had previously targeted RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande as a priority signing, but the Ivorian has since chosen Paris Saint-Germain as his next destination.
El Mala has subsequently been earmarked as a ‘Plan B’ solution by Andoni Iraola’s side following that disappointment in the transfer market.
The young German made his Koln debut following the club’s Bundesliga promotion and quickly impressed, registering 13 goals and 5 assists from 36 appearances last season.
Those numbers are particularly remarkable given he averaged just 58 minutes per outing, suggesting there is considerable room for further development in his game.
El Mala primarily operates as a left-sided winger, though he has made occasional appearances as a forward, underlining his versatility across the attacking line.
However, his preferred position could present a problem at Anfield, where Liverpool are already well-stocked on the left flank with Cody Gakpo, Rio Ngumoha, and summer signing Victor Munoz.
The club’s more pressing need is on the right wing, a gap that has emerged following Mohamed Salah’s exit from the club this summer.
El Mala has made just six career appearances on the right wing, scoring twice, which raises genuine doubts about whether he fits Liverpool’s most urgent positional requirement.
The youngster recently turned down a move to Brentford, reportedly seeking a more high-profile destination, which has fuelled suggestions the speculation may be agent-driven to attract wider European interest.
Liverpool are widely expected to pursue a more prominent right-wing target, with Yan Diomande’s move to PSG potentially opening the door for Bradley Barcola to become available.
The Reds are described as long-term admirers of Barcola and could look to make a move for the Frenchman instead of committing to a deal for El Mala.