Karim Adeyemi is officially an FC Barcelona player. On Thursday, the Catalan club officially announced the signing of the speedy German winger from Borussia Dortmund. According to Florian Plettenberg, Barcelona will pay a fixed €22 million plus €9m in add-ons, while Borussia Dortmund retain a 35% sell-on clause. For the La Liga side, that looks like a great deal.
However, it does raise the question: why did Borussia Dortmund let Karim Adeyemi leave, especially for so cheap? Dortmund are notoriously good at selling, with the likes of Ousmane Dembélé, Erling Haaland, and Jude Bellingham making the club a significant amount of money.
Adeyemi has long been expected to join that list. However, just four years after joining, and, at 24, theoretically about to enter his prime, the forward is moving to Barcelona for nearly a third of what Hansi Flick’s side paid for Anthony Gordon earlier this summer. Even earlier this summer, Dortmund were reportedly asking for €40 million but quickly lowered their demands.
A large reason why Adeyemi was allowed to leave so cheaply was his contract. He had only one year left on his deal, leaving Dortmund with little room to negotiate. For Dortmund, it makes sense to take the cash now rather than let him leave next summer. In the past, the club has been burned by free transfers, most famously with Bayern Munich signing Robert Lewandowski.
Given that Adeyemi was already one of the club’s highest earners, extending his contract would have been a costly move even if he wanted to stay. It certainly helps Barcelona that the German reportedly pushed for the move to Catalunya. Barcelona, meanwhile, was able to offer €6m net per season on a five-year contract, per Plettenberg, committing to Adeyemi in the long-term.
There’s also the question of how well he fits in Germany. Unlike Barcelona, Dortmund currently does not play with wingers. Manager Niko Kovač has gradually phased out most of the wide options, with Cole Campbell and Julien Duranville exiting this summer. The season before, Dortmund allowed Jamie Gittens to move to Chelsea despite a promising start to the season.
Under Kovač, Adeyemi’s role faded massively. He was limited to just 15 starts in the Bundesliga last season, usually playing alongside Julian Brandt behind Serhou Guirassy. Brandt, too, has already left this summer, while Guirassy has been linked with a potential exit as Dortmund undergoes a full-scale rebuild of their attack.
Adeyemi struggled to get into a rhythm last season between fitness and the poor tactical fit, and his lack of consistency frustrated many Dortmund fans. Despite this, he had his second-best season in terms of goal contributions since moving to Germany, recording seven goals and four assists. Only Guirassy and Maximilian Beier scored more Bundesliga goals for Kovać’s side.
Fitness struggles have been a recurring issue. Injuries have plagued Adeyemi since he first joined Borussia Dortmund. In his four years at the club, he did not manage a single season with at least 30 Bundesliga appearances. He’s also been limited to just eleven appearances for Germany as a result, despite the lack of elite wingers available.
However, Dortmund still clearly believes in Adeyemi to an extent. The high sell-on fee suggests that the Bundesliga club believes there still is a player there, and one who’s capable of making a big-money move someday. For Barcelona, that’s a good thing.
What it comes down to is that Adeyemi is a player who comes with risks. These risks come in different forms, whether it’s concerns about his health, consistency, or off-the-field issues — Adeyemi came under fire from the German media after he was fined for illegal possession of weapons last November, which he claimed was a result of him ordering a 'mystery box' online.
Considering the potential risks, Borussia Dortmund are not really in a position where it makes sense to roll the dice on the winger again with a new contract or to drag out negotiations with Barcelona. Even if the club wanted to keep him, there’s not a clear spot for him as long as Kovač remains in charge. For Barcelona, though, taking these risks makes sense.
The deal is cheap, especially considering the heights that Adeyemi could reach under Flick. Flick is an attacker’s dream, helping Raphinha and Lamine Yamal become two of the best wingers in the world. If he can help Adeyemi become more consistent and fully unlock his goalscoring abilities, he can quickly make this €29 million move look like a bargain.
At least to start, Adeyemi will likely be limited to a bench option. A limited role should also make his fitness less of a concern, at least in theory. His pace and versatility make him a dream super-sub, and he, like fellow summer signing Anthony Gordon, can play all across the front three.
Adeyemi has also scored some big goals in the Champions League, like his remarkable solo run against Chelsea in the Round of 16 in 2023. This year, even with his limited role, he very nearly bailed Dortmund out in the Champions League with a late goal against Atalanta in the first round. However, the Bundesliga side conceded again in the 98th minute and were eliminated.
Dortmund certainly have reasons to move on from Adeyemi, but that doesn’t mean the deal is not smart for Barcelona. He has always had the potential, and few know that better than Flick, who gave the then-Salzburg star his Germany debut back in 2021. If Flick can unlock that talent, Adeyemi could be one of the biggest steals in recent years. That is a risk well worth taking.
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