Barça and Dortmund close to Adeyemi agreement

Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund have reached a verbal agreement for the transfer of Karim Adeyemi, with the deal expected to be finalized soon after both clubs complete the remaining paperwork.

Adeyemi’s contract was set to expire on June 30, 2027, and after refusing to sign an extension, Dortmund faced the prospect of losing him for free if they did not sell him this summer. From January 1, he would have been eligible to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with any club.

The 24-year-old forward is expected to sign a five-year contract with Barcelona. The two clubs are now putting the verbally agreed terms into the final contracts before making the transfer official.

Negotiations intensified over the past few days. Barcelona’s opening offer of €20 million ($23.4 million) was rejected by Dortmund, who were hoping to recover closer to the €33 million ($38.6 million) they paid Red Bull Salzburg to sign him. According to Fabrizio Romano, the clubs eventually agreed on a deal worth around €22 million ($25.7 million), plus up to €7 million ($8.2 million) in performance-related bonuses tied to both individual and team achievements.

The fee reflects Barcelona’s confidence in Adeyemi despite his inconsistent form in recent seasons, which has been affected by minor injuries and fluctuations in performance. Early in his career, he was widely regarded as one of Europe’s brightest young attacking talents. Barcelona believes head coach Hansi Flick, who handed Adeyemi his senior Germany debut, can help him rediscover that level and fulfill the potential he showed earlier in his career.

Adeyemi’s arrival is part of Barcelona’s plan to strengthen its attacking depth with a versatile forward capable of playing on either wing or through the middle when needed. Sporting director Deco and Flick reportedly see him primarily as an option on the right flank, where he will compete behind established starter Lamine Yamal. He is also expected to provide a stronger alternative than Roony Bardghji, who is widely expected to leave the club this summer.

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