Brighton are reportedly planning to make an offer for 1. FC Köln star Said El Mala next summer - and the Seagulls remain keen to acquire his brother Malek in a double deal.
It's been a scintillating start to the campaign for Fabian Hurzeler's men, who currently sit third in the Premier League off the back of eye-catching successes over Arsenal and Manchester City.
That's despite a wealth of injuries to attacking personnel as the likes of Yankuba Minteh, Jack Hinshelwood and Kaoru Mitoma have all been sidelined with respective issues in the months of the season.
While Brighton were active in the summer transfer window with £150m spent on 10 new faces, they missed out on acquiring the highly sought Köln winger El Mala, who was the subject of a £40million bid from Brentford and four separate offers from Borussia Dortmund.
El Mala ultimately remained at the RheinEnergieStadion and extended his current contract until 2031, but there's an expectation that the 20-year-old will depart Köln in the next 12 months.
According to Sky Germany's Florian Plettenburg, Brighton are plotting to swoop for El Mala next summer, and they remain interested in his striking brother, Malek.
It's understood El Mala's new contract does not contain a release clause, meaning Köln enter negotiations from a position of strength and the Bundesliga outfit will be unwilling to let their prized asset depart on the cheap.
El Mala was a breakthrough star in Germany's top-flight last term, scoring 13 goals and registering five assists in a Köln outfit that finished 14th.
He's maintained his impressive output into the current campaign, scoring four goals in nine appearances in all competitions, and his emergence was recognised by Jurgen Klopp as the winger made his national team debut in Germany's UEFA Nations League fixture against Serbia.
Predominantly a left winger, El Mala could be a ready-made successor to Mitoma at the Amex Stadium. The Japan international is out of contract next summer and talks over a new deal have stalled, prompting speculation Mitoma could be on his way out of Brighton.
While El Mala is a household star at Köln, his older brother Malek has been on the periphery of the first-team. The striker, who is also under contract until 2031, scored on his Bundesliga debut against Union Berlin at the start of November.
