Barcelona Targets Karim Adeyemi in Summer Rebuild
Barcelona’s summer rebuild under Hansi Flick has moved onto its next target: Karim Adeyemi.
The Spanish champions have lodged an offer with Borussia Dortmund for the 24-year-old forward, a source has told ESPN, as they accelerate plans to reshape an attack that has already lost some heavyweight names.
Adeyemi on Barça’s radar
Adeyemi is under contract at Dortmund until 2027, but Barcelona believe there is an opening to prise him away for a reduced fee in this window. They have already thrashed out a loose agreement with the player on personal terms, a clear signal of intent, but the hard part remains.
Talks with Dortmund are ongoing. The same source stresses the deal is “not imminent” and “nothing has been signed.” For now, it is an active negotiation, not a done deal.
Barcelona see Adeyemi as a wide forward who can operate across the front line, a different type of threat to Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and the recently signed Anthony Gordon. Pace, direct running, depth in the squad: he ticks boxes Flick has been keen to address since arriving.
Separate from the No. 9 chase
This move does not replace the club’s hunt for a centre-forward. The Adeyemi pursuit runs parallel to their search for a new No. 9, with Atlético Madrid’s Julián Álvarez still sitting at the top of their list.
President Joan Laporta has already gone public on a bid for Álvarez. The Argentine has made it clear he wants to leave Atlético, and Barça are pushing, but the squad needs more than just a new focal point. They need numbers and variety out wide, especially after a flurry of departures.
The shake-up was set in motion months ago. In March, ESPN revealed that Barcelona, fresh from winning back-to-back LaLiga titles, were ready to overhaul their front line at Flick’s request. The coach wanted a more flexible, more aggressive attacking unit. The club has backed that idea.
Big exits, big arrivals
Robert Lewandowski, the reference point of the last two title-winning sides, has gone, joining Chicago Fire on a free transfer. Marcus Rashford’s loan spell ended with his return to Manchester United. Ferran Torres has entered the final year of his deal, his future uncertain, while Roony Bardghji is another who could move on.
Barcelona have already made one major attacking statement: the €70 million signing of England international Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United. That deal underlined both their ambition and their willingness to invest heavily in wide areas.
Yet the recruitment drive has not stopped. Flick wants depth, competition and different profiles across the front three. Adeyemi fits neatly into that plan.
Adeyemi’s profile
Adeyemi first burst onto the European scene with Red Bull Salzburg, his acceleration and vertical running marking him out as a classic modern forward. Dortmund moved for him in 2022, and he has since spent four seasons in the Bundesliga.
He has made 146 appearances for the German club, scoring 36 goals. Last season he found the net 10 times in 39 games across all competitions. Those numbers do not place him among Europe’s elite finishers, but they do point to a player who contributes consistently while still having room to grow.
For Barcelona, the attraction lies in that blend of experience and upside. Adeyemi is old enough to handle the demands of a club of this size, young enough to evolve under Flick, and versatile enough to plug into multiple roles across the front line.
The offer is in. Dortmund are at the table. Barcelona, already armed with Gordon and chasing Álvarez, are betting that one more injection of pace and unpredictability could tilt the balance of their attack for the next cycle.
