Why Adeyemi and BVB were never the right fit | OneFootball

Karim Adeyemi has left BVB and joined FC Barcelona. Borussia Dortmund are reportedly receiving a base fee of 22 million euros, though further bonus payments could still increase the total significantly.

In the summer of 2022, the attacking player moved to Dortmund for 30 million euros, arriving from Salzburg as an extremely promising talent.

Adeyemi played 98 Bundesliga matches for BVB, scoring 23 goals and providing 17 assists. His pace was always convincing, but consistency was lacking. And that is exactly the issue.

40 goal contributions in the league is not bad. But for a 30-million-euro young player, you simply expect more overall in four years.

Fluctuation at BVB a key issue

But why did Adeyemi ultimately fall short of making that final step toward a breakthrough? Of course, consistency and perhaps also a lack of personal drive in his development, partly influenced by matters off the pitch, are factors. But the blame does not lie with the player alone.

Because it was not only Adeyemi who lacked consistency and continuity, but BVB themselves as well. There was constant fluctuation in the squad, several coaches, and different approaches. At times things went better for the forward, at other times a little worse. Sometimes he caused frustration, sometimes he scored goals like his brilliant solo effort against Chelsea in the Champions League.

Photo: IMAGO

The 24-year-old is not a player you simply put on the pitch and who just works. Those players exist, but they are rarer than those who need a certain environment. And if you look at BVB in recent years, that environment was not provided for him.

The squad repeatedly lacked cohesion. Good players often become very good players precisely when they find that cohesion, when everything clicks into place, when their own strengths are encouraged. And BVB’s coaches can certainly be criticized for failing to provide that support. Or at least not enough of it.

There are two sides to the coin

From BVB’s point of view, it would of course be easy to hold Adeyemi responsible for not living up to the high expectations. But they also have to admit that they did not do everything right. At the same time, it would be just as wrong to place all the blame on BVB alone. Adeyemi must be aware that during his years in Dortmund, he did not always show the utmost determination.

And so, after four years together, the conclusion is simply that neither side invested enough to turn the partnership into a success story. Will that change at FC Barcelona? Well, Adeyemi seems to have matured at least a little. And coach Hansi Flick knows what kind of player he is bringing into the squad. So the signs are at least not bad.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.