Barcelona are set to sign Borussia Dortmund winger Karim Adeyemi as a replacement for Marcus Rashford, with a transfer fee in the region of €30-40 million expected. The Spanish club elected not to trigger their €30 million option to purchase Rashford permanently after his loan spell from Manchester United.
Personal terms between Barcelona and the 24-year-old Adeyemi have already been agreed, according to Marca, with the clubs now working to finalize the transfer fee. Fabrizio Romano reports that Barcelona have already submitted a bid, and Adeyemi is only interested in a move to Camp Nou.
Adeyemi differs from Rashford in playing style, being a more conventional right winger, though he was frequently deployed as an attacking midfielder by Dortmund last season, demonstrating his versatility. Data from SciSports suggests both players are currently of similar ability, but Adeyemi’s younger age offers a higher potential for development.
German football expert Ronan Murphy expressed skepticism about the transfer, suggesting Barcelona may be prioritizing athleticism over technical skill. He pointed to Adeyemi’s inconsistent performances for Dortmund and his exclusion from Germany’s World Cup squad as reasons for concern, noting a lack of impact on the pitch despite promising potential.
Barcelona’s pursuit of Adeyemi aligns with their budgetary constraints, having initially allocated around €30 million for an attacker last summer with Rashford in mind. Adeyemi offers similar positional flexibility at a more favorable wage. With only one year remaining on his contract at Dortmund, his Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) has fallen to €44.9 million, allowing Barcelona to secure a bargain. His defensive contributions and versatility, alongside the reasonable fee and wages, have convinced the club he will be a valuable addition to Hansi Flick’s squad.
