Karim Adeyemi is effectively on the verge of becoming Barcelona's second signing of the summer. He arrived in the city on Wednesday, passed his medical on Thursday and the paperwork is now the final step before the club can move to the presentation, which is expected next week after Joan Laporta returns from the United States.

Barcelona's fast rise from €20 million to €22 million

The pace of the deal is the main story. Barcelona opened at €20 million, then raised the offer to €22 million within 24 hours, and the whole operation was wrapped up in under three days. Borussia Dortmund had initially valued Adeyemi at approximately €31 million, so Barcelona have pushed the price up quickly without getting close to the German club's first number.

There is still one point of friction around how the fee is described. Goal reported the transfer as a fixed €22m with a further €7m in performance-related add-ons, while other reports framed it as already done but still waiting on paperwork and the formal unveiling. The safer read is that the move is close, not yet fully finished.

What Adeyemi adds to Hansi Flick's plans

Adeyemi's preference for Barcelona helped this move along. Barcauniversal reported that he called Dortmund directly to make clear that Barcelona was his only preferred destination and that he would not consider other offers, while the same report said he toured Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper and met first-team squad members before the paperwork was finished.

The football side is straightforward enough. Adeyemi has scored in 2 of his last 5 Bundesliga appearances, with a recent high rating of 7.6 and a low of 6.2 across his last five league matches. Barcelona have also won 3 of their last 5 league matches, which gives Flick a moving team to add him into rather than a side waiting for a reset.

Dortmund have won their last 2 matches, so Adeyemi is not leaving amid collapse or panic. He is expected to sign a five-year contract running until June 2031, and the unveiling should come next week once Laporta is back. The club have moved fast, and the next concrete step is the presentation.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →