Cologne star Said El Mala has hinted at a future move to Paris Saint-Germain, with Brighton & Hove Albion plotting an ambitious rival move for the talented winger.

The 20-year-old has established himself as one of the Bundesliga’s most exciting young talents after a rapid rise from the third tier, where he initially played for Viktoria Cologne.

El Mala signed for local rivals Cologne back in 2024 and enjoyed his best season to date in 2025/26, notching an impressive 13 goals and five assists across all competitions.

That impressive form captured the attention of multiple clubs over the summer. Brighton, as well as other Premier League sides, showed strong interest in signing El Mala, but were ultimately unable to get a deal over the line.

The biggest caveat was that El Mala’s representatives would like whoever brings him in to also sign his brother, Malek El Mala, which torpedoed various potential transfers.

TEAMtalk revealed in an exclusive update earlier this week that Brighton are now open to bringing in the El Mala brothers, which puts them in a strong position to win the race for Said.

However, PSG have also been linked with the winger, and he has dropped a hint that he would be very keen on a switch to the French giants.

Said El Mala addresses PSG links: ‘An immense club’

Speaking in an interview with Sky Germany, El Mala was asked about the recent reports linking him with a move to PSG.

“It would be wrong to say that I’m not honored by it,” El Mala responded. “It’s an immense club. To be honest, I read about it too, but I’m not sure what to make of it.”

PSG already have world-class wingers in their ranks, such as Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue and Maghnes Akliouche in their ranks, so they are well stocked in the position.

However, with Kvaratskhelia’s 2026/27 season likely over due to an ACL injury, a new addition might not be completely off the table.

Despite this, we understand that Brighton still have hope of a deal for El Mala.

The fact that they are willing to sign both El Mala brothers gives them an advantage, if that is something the winger’s representatives continue to insist on.

Indeed, his older brother Malek, 21, who has largely featured for Cologne’s reserves, has also caught Brighton’s eye and would likely be included in any deal.