Barcelona Pursue Karim Adeyemi as Hansi Flick Reshapes Attack

Barcelona’s rebuild under Hansi Flick has moved onto its next target. The Spanish champions have lodged an offer for Borussia Dortmund forward Karim Adeyemi as they continue to reshape a front line that has already lost some of its biggest names.

A source has told ESPN that Barça have put a proposal on the table for the 24-year-old, who is under contract at Dortmund until 2027. The Catalan club believe the German side could be persuaded into a cut‑price deal this summer, sensing an opportunity to add pace and depth across the forward line.

There is already a loose agreement in place with Adeyemi over personal terms, but the hard work remains. Talks with Dortmund are ongoing, and the same source stressed the move is “not imminent” and “nothing has been signed.” For now, it is intent rather than conclusion.

What is clear is that Adeyemi is part of a broader, aggressive reset. Flick asked for a shake-up after delivering back-to-back LaLiga titles, and Barcelona have responded by tearing into the status quo in attack.

Departures

Robert Lewandowski has gone, leaving for Chicago Fire on a free. Marcus Rashford’s loan is over and he has returned to Manchester United. Ferran Torres is into the final year of his deal, his future unresolved. Roony Bardghji could also move on. The old hierarchy of forwards has been broken up; the competition for places will look very different by the time the season starts.

New Arrivals

At the same time, the champions have already landed a major piece. Anthony Gordon has arrived from Newcastle United in a €70 million move, a statement signing to inject direct running and Premier League edge into the left side. Yet even that deal has not slowed Barcelona’s recruitment drive.

President Joan Laporta has publicly confirmed a bid for Julián Álvarez, with the Atlético Madrid striker still the club’s preferred option to fill the No. 9 role. Álvarez has made it clear he wants to leave Atlético, and Barça view him as the focal point of their new attack.

Adeyemi is a different file on the same desk. His pursuit runs independently of the Álvarez chase, aimed at bolstering the wide and flexible attacking roles rather than the centre-forward position. In a squad that already includes Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Gordon, Adeyemi would bring another angle: explosive acceleration, vertical runs, and the ability to stretch defences from either flank or through the middle.

The Germany international first burst onto the scene at Red Bull Salzburg, where his speed and movement quickly drew attention from Europe’s elite. Dortmund moved in 2022, and he has since completed four seasons in Germany. Across 146 appearances for the club, Adeyemi has scored 36 goals, including 10 in 39 games in all competitions last season.

Those numbers are not superstar level, but they tell part of the story. Adeyemi offers chaos, space creation and tactical flexibility, qualities Flick values highly in a front line built around rotations and pressing triggers rather than a single, static reference point.

Barcelona’s transfer strategy reflects that idea. Gordon on one wing, Yamal’s genius on the other, Raphinha as an option between touchline and half-space, Álvarez targeted as the finisher, and now Adeyemi in the frame as the runner who can link all of it together.

For the moment, though, the deal rests in the negotiation room. Dortmund know Adeyemi is under contract until 2027 and will not be rushed. Barcelona know their financial margins are tight and must judge how far they can push for a player they see as an important, but not central, piece of the puzzle.

If the price drops to a level they consider acceptable, Adeyemi could be the next arrival in a summer that is rapidly redefining Barcelona’s attack. If not, they will move on and look elsewhere.

Either way, the message from the Camp Nou is unmistakable: the front line that delivered two straight league titles is being ripped up and rebuilt. The only question now is whether Karim Adeyemi becomes part of the next version of Barcelona’s fearsome front three.