“Only Barça”: How Barcelona landed €40 million-rated forward for a bargain fee | OneFootball

Earlier in the day, Barcelona announced their second signing of the summer in the form of Karim Adeyemi.

The explosive winger joins from Borussia Dortmund in a long-term deal that does not expire until the summer of 2031.

Adeyemi becomes the second high-profile signing at Barcelona this summer after English international Anthony Gordon, who is expected to join the squad after an extended break.

How Barcelona were able to pull off the deal

Barcelona were able to sign Adeyemi for just €22 million, which is a miracle, granted the player was on the final year of his contract at Dortmund.

Adeyemi only wanted to join Barcelona. (Photo by Leon Kügeler/Getty Images)

A recent report from SPORT has provided details on how Barcelona were able to sign the player despite offers from elsewhere and it all comes down to the winger’s own determination.

As per the report, Adeyemi told agent Jorge Mendes in May that he only wanted to join Barcelona when he handed him control of his future.

Despite attractive proposals from the Premier League and Saudi Arabia, his mind was made up.

The German had long dreamed of playing at the Camp Nou, convinced his style would suit the Blaugrana perfectly.

The presence of Hansi Flick, who handed him his international debut at just 19 and remains one of his biggest admirers, only strengthened that conviction.

A player who stood firm

Can Adeyemi prove himself at Camp Nou? (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

Adeyemi’s stance ultimately proved decisive in the negotiation. He rejected three substantial offers along the way, much to the frustration of Dortmund, who were desperate to cash in on a player with only a year left on his deal.

When Barcelona’s opening €20 million bid was turned down, Adeyemi made it clear to his club, informing them he would not entertain any other proposal and would happily run down his contract and leave for free if the move to Catalonia did not materialise.

Left with little leverage, the German club were forced to negotiate, eventually settling on €22 million plus €7 million in add-ons for a player valued at around €40 million.

Flick fully sanctioned the deal, believing he can extract the best from Adeyemi on the flank.

The winger is aware Lamine Yamal is untouchable and that he will need to reinvent himself, but his pace and quality allow him to operate across the front line.

After two inconsistent seasons in Germany, Adeyemi now has the chance to rediscover his best form at the club he always wanted to join.