Kessler spoke to Bild following Sky Sport Germany's reporting that the bid in question came from Brentford, who had submitted an offer of €45m plus €5m in performance bonuses — a total that Cologne were prepared to engage with seriously.
"It is true that we received a bid for Said where the economics were very close to our requirements, so we were ready to consider a sale."
He was equally clear that the decision ultimately belonged to the player.
"After careful consideration, Said decided to decline the transfer to this club. That means the matter is closed for us."
Kessler declined to name Brentford specifically, but the details align precisely with what Sky had reported. The English club had been pursuing El Mala for several weeks and appeared to have secured Cologne's approval before the 19-year-old chose to reject the destination.
El Mala scored 13 goals and contributed five assists in 34 Bundesliga appearances this season — a breakout campaign that attracted serious interest from Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Brighton and Newcastle United. He is contracted at Cologne until the summer of 2030. His next move may wait until a destination that genuinely excites him emerges.