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Manchester City may have to pay a substantial club record fee to secure the services of one of European football's most in-form youngsters

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Manchester City could face stiff competition from some of European football's biggest clubs if they are to make a transfer move for one of the hottest young talents to have burst onto the scene this year. With the January transfer window approaching, clubs around the continent will be compiling their shortlists for bolstering their sides. That will include Manchester City, who go into their final match before the November international break hoping to close a six-point gap to Premier League leaders Arsenal. Get Manchester City tickets at Seat Unique To that end, City are said to be admirers of 19-year-old Said El Mala, who has enjoyed a rapid rise through the German league to become one of the most in-form players in the Bundesliga. El Mala has spent the past two years playing for Viktoria Koln, the latter of which was on loan from their larger city rivals, FC Koln. The newly-promoted Bundesliga side have enjoyed a promising start to the new campaign and sit seventh after nine games, in no small part thanks to El Mala's contributions

Describing El Mala as 'currently the biggest talent in the league' alongside Bayern Munich teenager Lennart Karl, Bild write that the winger has already been the subject of interest from Germany's top clubs - and the Premier League. The German outlet claim that Borussia Dortmund were frustrated in their efforts to sign El Mala last year, before Brighton and Hove Albion had a €20m (£17. 6m) bid turned down this summer. The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week. That interest prompted Koln to give El Mala a new five-year contract with no release clause set - and his value has only increased from there after a superb start to his debut season in the Bundesliga. El Mala has claimed four goals and two assists in nine appearances for the club - figures that are even more remarkable when you consider that seven of those appearances were as a substitute. Bild add that El Mala's instant impression has attracted further interest from even bigger clubs - including City. Last season's Champions League finalists, Inter and Paris Saint-Germain, are said to be potential rivals for El Mala's signature should City make a move for his services.

El Mala's (entirely nonsensical) market value according to Transfermarkt is given at €18m (£15. 8m). However, Bild speculate that prising him away from Koln would regard a club-record fee in excess of the €35m (£29. 9m) that Tianjin Quanjian paid for Anthony Modeste in 2017. Koln are said to be determined to hold their resolve through the January transfer window, and are even blocking interview requests with El Mala in a bid to protect the player from over-exposure. El Mala has just received his first call-up for the German national team and could make his debut against either Georgia or Slovakia as Julian Nagelsmann's side look to secure a place at next year's World Cup. Steven Chicken has been working as a football writer since 2009, taking in stints with Football365 and the Huddersfield Examiner. Steven still covers Huddersfield Town home and away for his own publication,  We Are Terriers. com. Steven is a two-time nominee for Regional Journalist of the Year at the prestigious British Sports Journalism Awards, making the shortlist in 2020 and 2023. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

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