The decision brings to a close months of speculation that had, at various points, linked the 19-year-old winger with Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, Brentford, Brighton, AC Milan, Fulham and Newcastle, with Köln reportedly fielding fresh offers for their breakout star on a near-weekly basis throughout the window.
Dortmund came closest to a deal after a lengthy pursuit but ultimately would not meet Köln's valuation and withdrew, while RB Leipzig moved late with an offer worth around €60m, including €10m in bonuses, comfortably exceeding Dortmund's package. Köln turned that down too.
According to Bild, it was Köln themselves who ultimately ended the chase, deciding a sale so close to deadline day would leave too little time to reinvest the fee, and wary of being dragged into a prolonged negotiation similar to the one with Dortmund.
Talks over an extension with El Mala and his family had been progressing in parallel, and once those conversations resumed in earnest, an agreement came together quickly.
The new deal, confirmed by the club on Thursday evening, contains no release clause, according to Sky, and makes El Mala Köln's highest earner, with his salary rising from around €1.5m including bonuses to just under €3m, surpassing even that of returning midfielder Elyess Skhiri, whose own comeback to the club was announced on the same day. El Mala also swapped the number 13 for the number 10 shirt as part of the announcement.
Sporting director Thomas Kessler said the club had been determined to keep hold of a player who had become central to their season.
"He has developed excellently over the past season, established himself as an important part of our team in the Bundesliga, and was a key factor for us with his performances and goals," Kessler said.
"It's understandable that this development has also attracted interest from other clubs. That's exactly why the open and trusting dialogue with Said and his family about his sporting future was so important to us.
"Together, we came to the conclusion that his potential is far from exhausted, and that he has very good conditions here at the Geißbockheim to take the next steps in his development. Since the start of pre-season, Said has underlined every day with his performances, his professionalism and his attitude that he wants to continue on this path with full conviction.
"We have great trust in him and are convinced he will continue to play an important role in our team."
El Mala himself struck a similar tone.
"Since I've been here, FC has given me a good feeling every day," he said. "That's why I enjoy coming to the Geißbockheim every day, it's incredibly fun working with the lads and the coaching staff, and I've learned a huge amount. My first Bundesliga season here was something really special.
"And of course I thought about my future afterwards. But the conversations with the people in charge at FC, with René and with Thomas, were excellent, I feel huge trust and real appreciation here. That's why I'm staying here. I want to play a good season with FC and our fans, and I'll give everything for that, especially because I know what it means to wear the number 10 for Cologne."
The commitment extends to his family, too. Malek El Mala, Said's older brother and a striker in Köln's second team, has also signed a new contract running to 2031, according to the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger, bringing his deal in line with his younger sibling's.
Malek's path has been considerably tougher: injuries limited him to just 13 appearances for the reserve side last season, in which he scored five goals, and he is yet to make his senior debut for the first team. The pair joined Köln together from Viktoria Köln in 2024, and have now extended their contracts in tandem for a third time, a loyalty that has become a trademark for the brothers.