1. FC Köln hold firm on El Mala as Dortmund circle and Moore loan talks advance
Fresh from promotion to the Bundesliga, 1. FC Köln are fending off Borussia Dortmund's pursuit of Said El Mala while leading the race to loan Tottenham teenager Mikey Moore.
1. FC Köln have reportedly rejected a €45 million bid from Borussia Dortmund for attacker Said El Mala, with Dortmund expected to return with an improved offer. Meanwhile, Köln are described as front-runners to sign Tottenham teenager Mikey Moore on loan for the season.
FC Köln have rejected a bid from Borussia Dortmund for attacking player Said El Mala, reportedly worth €45 million including add-ons, according to multiple reports. Dortmund are nonetheless expected to return with an improved offer, having already made what has been described as a concrete approach for the player. The club is back in the Bundesliga after sealing promotion in May 2025 with a 4-0 win over Kaiserslautern. Founded in 1948 through the merger of Kölner BC 01 and SpVgg Sülz 07, Köln have won three German championships and four DFB-Pokal titles, and reached the UEFA Cup final in 1986. Their return to the top flight has put their best talent on the radar of bigger clubs. The El Mala standoff is not Köln's only piece of transfer business. The club are described as front-runners to take Tottenham teenager Mikey Moore on loan, and reports say Kathrin Hendrich has joined the women's team from NWSL side Chicago Stars. How Köln handle Dortmund's next move will shape their first season back.
Dortmund's pursuit of Said El Mala
Borussia Dortmund have reportedly made a concrete approach for 1. FC Köln attacking player Said El Mala, according to reports carried by outlets including Forbes and Sport Witness. The bid is said to have been worth €45 million including add-ons — a figure attributed to the reporting outlets and not confirmed by either club — and Köln rejected it.
Sources consulted for this article disagree on the details of the approach, including its timing and structure, and those points should be treated with caution. What is consistent across the reporting is the expectation that Dortmund will return with an improved offer despite the previous rejections.
Several key questions remain unanswered. It is not known when exactly Dortmund submitted the rejected bid, nor when the improved offer is expected to arrive. There is also no indication of what fee or terms, if any, would persuade Köln to sell one of their most prized attacking talents. For now, the club's stance appears to be one of resistance, with Dortmund left to decide how much higher they are prepared to go.
Köln lead the race for Tottenham's Mikey Moore
Tottenham Hotspur are weighing up where to send teenage winger Mikey Moore on loan, and 1. FC Köln have emerged as the leading candidates. Reports describe the newly promoted Bundesliga side as front-runners to sign Moore for the season, with some outlets going further and characterising talks between the clubs as advanced.
The picture is not settled, however. Other reporting suggests Tottenham are only at the stage of considering Moore's destination for the 2026/27 campaign, with several clubs interested in the teenager. That leaves open a basic question: whether any loan would take effect immediately or only from 2026/27. No agreement has been finalised.
What is not in doubt is that Tottenham have no intention of selling. According to reports, the club rejected a €30 million bid for Moore, a figure that has not been independently confirmed. The rejection, if accurate, underlines Spurs' view of Moore as a long-term asset whose development will continue away from north London, most likely in Cologne.
Hendrich joins the women's team from Chicago
Away from the transfer speculation surrounding the men's squad, 1. FC Köln's women's team has reportedly added an experienced international. According to reports, Kathrin Hendrich has joined the club from NWSL side Chicago Stars. The defender is said to be 34 years old and to have made more than 90 appearances for Germany, figures that would make her one of the most decorated players in the Frauen Bundesliga. The timing of the move has not been confirmed, and the claims have yet to be verified by the club. If accurate, the signing would bring considerable top-level experience to Cologne's women's side.
A newly promoted club back in the spotlight
FC Köln is one of German football's traditional names. The club was founded in 1948 through the merger of Kölner BC 01 and SpVgg Sülz 07, and is based in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia. Its honours include three German championships, four DFB-Pokal wins and a run to the UEFA Cup final in 1986.
Recent years have been less kind, but promotion back to the Bundesliga was sealed with a 4-0 victory over Kaiserslautern in May 2025. The club should not be confused with FC Viktoria Köln, a separate Cologne side competing in the 3. Liga.
That backdrop explains the stakes. For a newly promoted club, holding on to prized talent and attracting loan signings from top Premier League sides is a marker of renewed standing.
1. FC Köln was founded through the merger of Kölner BC 01 and SpVgg Sülz 07.
1. FC Köln reached the UEFA Cup final.
1. FC Köln earned promotion to the Bundesliga with a 4-0 victory over Kaiserslautern.
Tottenham Hotspur are considering where to send Mikey Moore on loan, with several clubs interested in the teenager.
Frequently asked questions
Are Borussia Dortmund trying to sign Said El Mala from FC Köln?
Reports suggest Borussia Dortmund have made a concrete approach for the 1. FC Köln attacker, and that Köln rejected a bid reportedly worth €45 million including add-ons. Dortmund are expected to return with an improved offer despite those rejections. What fee or terms would persuade Köln to sell is not yet known, and the timing of any new offer has not been confirmed.
Is Mikey Moore joining FC Köln on loan from Tottenham?
Tottenham are in advanced talks over a loan move for the teenager, with FC Köln described as front-runners to sign him for the season. Spurs are considering where to send Moore on loan for the 2026/27 season, with several clubs interested. Reports also suggest Tottenham rejected a €30 million bid for Moore because the club does not intend to sell him. The deal has not been finalised.
Did FC Köln get promoted to the Bundesliga?
Yes. 1. FC Köln earned promotion to the Bundesliga with a 4-0 victory over Kaiserslautern in May 2025. The club, based in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, was founded in 1948 through the merger of Kölner BC 01 and SpVgg Sülz 07. It has won the German championship three times, the DFB-Pokal four times, and reached the UEFA Cup final in 1986.
Who is Kathrin Hendrich and has she signed for FC Köln's women's team?
According to reports, Kathrin Hendrich has joined 1. FC Köln's women's team from NWSL club Chicago Stars. She is reported to be 34 years old and to have made more than 90 appearances for Germany. The exact date of the move has not been confirmed, and these details come from media reports rather than official announcements.
What is the difference between 1. FC Köln and FC Viktoria Köln?
No. 1. FC Köln is the professional club founded in 1948, based in Cologne, with three German championships and four DFB-Pokal wins. FC Viktoria Köln is a separate Cologne-based club that competes in the 3. Liga, the third tier of German football. The two share a city and a similar name but are distinct organisations with different histories.
Compiled from reporting by 9 independent outlets. How we source our reporting.
