Barcelona Targets Karim Adeyemi for Summer Rebuild

Barcelona’s summer rebuild under Hansi Flick has taken another sharp turn, with the Spanish champions lodging an offer for Borussia Dortmund forward Karim Adeyemi as they intensify plans to reshape their attack.

Adeyemi on Barça’s radar

A source has told ESPN that Barcelona have moved for the 24-year-old, who is under contract at Dortmund until 2027, and believe he could be prised away for a reduced fee in this window. They see an opportunity: a versatile, high-energy forward entering his prime, with a price tag that may not match his ceiling.

Personal terms are largely in place. Barça have reached what has been described as a loose agreement with Adeyemi over his contract, but the hard work now lies with Dortmund. Negotiations between the clubs are ongoing, and the same source was clear on one point: the deal is “not imminent” and “nothing has been signed.”

So this is not done. Not yet. But it is serious.

A wide threat, not a No. 9

Crucially for Barcelona’s planning, Adeyemi is not being lined up as the new central striker. His pursuit runs parallel to, not instead of, their chase for a No. 9, with Atlético Madrid’s Julián Álvarez still the priority target through the middle.

This fits the blueprint Flick laid out when he arrived. Back in March, ESPN revealed that the coach had requested a major shake-up in attack, even as Barça celebrated back-to-back LaLiga titles. The message was clear: success would not protect underperforming or ill-fitting pieces.

The changes have been sweeping. Robert Lewandowski, the reference point of the front line, has left for Chicago Fire on a free transfer. Marcus Rashford’s loan has ended and he is back at Manchester United. Ferran Torres is heading into the final year of his deal, his future very much in play. Roony Bardghji, another option in the attacking rotation, could also move on.

Against that backdrop, depth and variety out wide have become non-negotiable.

Gordon in, Álvarez bid, and the hunt for width

Barcelona have already made one major statement, securing England international Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United in a €70 million move. Gordon adds direct running, work rate, and a goal threat from the flanks, but the club hierarchy want more than just one new wide option.

President Joan Laporta has publicly confirmed that Barça have tabled a bid for Julián Álvarez, who has made it known he wants to leave Atlético Madrid. The club’s recruitment drive is not just about star power; it is about building an attack with different weapons, different angles of threat.

That is where Adeyemi comes in.

The Germany international can operate across the front line. He offers a contrasting profile to Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Gordon — less about pure touchline wing play, more about explosive movement into space, attacking the channels, and stretching defences vertically as well as horizontally. For a coach like Flick, who thrives on speed and intensity in transition, that blend is attractive.

From Salzburg to Dortmund – and now a crossroads

Adeyemi burst onto the European scene at Red Bull Salzburg, where his pace and directness quickly drew attention from the continent’s elite. Dortmund moved in 2022, and he has now spent four seasons in the Bundesliga, learning the rhythms and demands of a club that lives on a constant conveyor belt of talent.

Across 146 appearances for Dortmund, he has scored 36 goals, including 10 in 39 games in all competitions last season. Those numbers do not scream out-and-out finisher, but they underline a forward who contributes consistently while often operating from wide or in support roles rather than as a traditional No. 9.

For Dortmund, he remains under a long contract and in his mid-20s, which usually means leverage. For Barcelona, there is hope that circumstances — squad planning in Germany, the player’s ambitions, and the dynamics of this summer’s market — will open the door to a cut-price deal.

The Catalans believe this is the moment to strike.

A new-look Barça front line taking shape

Piece by piece, the picture of Barcelona’s next forward line is emerging. Gordon already through the door. Álvarez at the top of the wish list. Adeyemi now the latest target to give Flick the variety he craves on the flanks.

The negotiations with Dortmund will decide whether Adeyemi becomes a central figure in that rebuild or just another name in a long summer of talks. For a club that has already torn up the old attacking hierarchy, the question is no longer whether Barcelona will look different next season.

It is how far they are willing to go — and how many big calls they are prepared to make — to build an attack that can dominate Europe as well as Spain.